The Keeper's Goal
by CrazyNakedFeet
Summary: It's Oliver's last year to win the Quidditch Cup, and that's his goal. His ONLY goal. Or is it? Rating for swearing and adult themes and possibly situations. Oliver/Katie pairing.
1. Platform 9 34

Disclaimer: none of the characters used in this story belong to me, sadly I am not the very rich J.K. Rowling

Hi Guys, this is my first story i have EVER written, so please keep an open mind. And review with your opinions and constructive help! It's an Oliver/Katie fic, so im sure you know the eneviatble events. I hope you enjoy the first chapter, more up soon. And sooner if you review.

-CrazyNakedFeet

There's always the exact same smell in the air at Platform 9 ¾ whenever the Hogwarts Express is at the station. It's hard to describe, it's a combination of scents, smoke, new books, old wood, the first years' sweat borne out of nervousness and embarrassment that their mothers are kissing them in front of everyone. Whatever the smell is, I can't help myself but take in a huge lungful as I remember that this the last time I'm going to be boarding the train to Hogwarts, the last year of my schooling and my last chance to win the Quidditch Cup. I know everyone gives me shit all the time about my obsessiveness over Quidditch, but being Captain really does put a huge amount of pressure on me to make my team perform. Plus I really love Quidditch. Speaking of my team, where are they?

Here I am, standing at the platform, my trunk long since stowed away and I have yet to see a single one them. I'm actually feeling kind of stupid… I'm surrounded by first and second years (no one else bothers to show up early… its kind of lame actually) Goddamn. Now I look lame. Well… I could try and play it cool, there is a certain status that being a Quidditch Captain gives me after all. I'll just loiter somewhere and look sexily aloof. I can manage that right? Can't be that hard, the girls are always going on about how Diggory does it. What they don't realise is that he looks so aloof because the Hufflepuff git doesn't have a bloody clue what's going on half the time. Anyway, must find loitering spot. I look around the crowded platform and navigate my way to an empty bench. Turning my back to it, my idea is that I will casually slouch on the bench and just try to look too cool and unfriendly for anyone to talk to me. I don't really want any overeager mothers foisting their kids on me. Running my hands through my messy brown hair and putting my hands in the pockets of my jeans, I sit down.

'Oof! Oliver! Get off me you prat!'

Looks like I took too long trying to look effortlessly cool. Someone else had occupied the bench while I was taking my sweetass time. I'm quickly shoved off someone's lap and onto the ground. It's from here (in a very awkward and stupid looking sprawl) that I look up and see that I sat on Katie Bell's lap. And she's giggling at me. Great.

'Oliver, you are honestly hopeless. I have no idea how you have so much grace flying, because you sure as hell don't have any down here on the ground' Katie says, extending her hand to help me up, which I gratefully take and sit beside her.

I turn to Katie 'Hey, I'm not the one stealing benches here. You came out of nowhere, it's like you've been taking lessons from Fred and George or something. Anyway, what did you get up to over the holidays?" Apart from doing some serious growing up, I add silently. Seriously, when did Katie Bell get so pretty? What happened to the sloppy ponytails and scuffed up jeans? Today she was wearing her longish blonde hair down with a tight purple scoop necked tee and a longish silky green gypsy skirt that matched her eyes. Since when do I notice what colour her eyes are? Shit, she's talking to me, and looking at me with those very same green eyes… Stop staring Wood! Now! Snap out of it! The girl is talking to you!

'…and then I just spent the last week at Lee's house" Katie finished. 'So what did you do Wood?'

'Wait, you went to Lee's? 'I'm a bit surprised. I mean, sure we all hang out together, like the team and a couple of others like Lee, and Percy if we're feeling charitable, but I've never really seen them hang out together by themselves. 'Since when do you go to Lee's?

'Since he became my boyfriend, weren't you listening to anything I just said?' Katie is looking at me with the biggest DUH expression, but I'm not really paying attention. I'm too bust thinking about how I'm going to rip Lee Jordan's arms off next time I see him and shove them both up his-woah…woah… why am I getting so mad? Why do I care who Katie Bell dates? Relax, Wood. You're just worried about it affecting the team. And winning the Cup. That's what's important here.

'Just don't let it impact on your Quidditch performance, Bell' I tell her. Because that is the reason I care. Really it is. 'We have a lot of work to do this wee-'

'This week!' Katie cuts in. 'Oliver, I know you're obsessed, but come on! At least give us some time to get into routine and catch up with everyone.'

'Routine! Exactly! Starting a routine is completely the idea, so we'll have to start off now. Actually right now would be good, did you by any chance go to see Puddlemere United at all during the summer? I was thinking that we could try and use their new play, the one where the chasers-'

'WOOD!'

A wall of noise knocks me off my feet for the second time that day, when I realise it isn't just noise, it's the Weasley twins, Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet.

'Hey team' I manage to squeeze out from under the pile of bodies. 'Good attack strategy, we'll have to work on a flying version on that, providing we manage to avoid causing a penalty anyway… you know, what if we try it again, only this time, Bell, you join in too and then George, I want you to-'

'Jesus, Wood, you haven't changed a bit. Just give it a rest for five seconds. It's only bloody Quidditch' Lee tells me while rolling his eyes. Grr… Chickenfucker. Wait, since when do I call my friends chickenfuckers?? Since they insulted Quidditch. Of course. That's why I'm mad. Quidditch. I. Love. Quidditch. And Jordan just insulted it.

As they all pile off me, groaning about my lack of ability to focus on anything other than Quidditch, I realise the platform is emptying and the train is whistling for the stragglers (that would be us) to hurry up and get on. That's not all I notice, as we race to board the train and make sure no one snagged our favourite compartment, I notice Katie and Lee share a quick kiss and have their arms wrapped around each others' waists as we push our way through all the uncertain first years and into our compartment. We all sit in our usual seats, me next to the window on the right, then George, Fred and Angelina, Katie opposite me next to the other window, then Alicia, then Lee. No wait, somehow that's not right. Now Katie is sitting on Lee's lap, right across from me. Great. For some reason the thought of watching the two of them together makes me want to throw up. I mean, I really feel sick at the idea. I've never been really big on PDAs, especially by other people (well, only be other people actually, if I'm getting a little something then I'm not too fussed) but I decide that I'm not going to be able to hack it.

'I'm off to see if they're serving snacks yet, see you guys later' I tell everyone as I duck out the compartment door. I look back no one seems to have even noticed I left, let alone acknowledge it. Actually, I'm really glad I left, Katie and Lee were already snogging each others' faces off, and from all the sexual tension that had been surrounding the twins and my two other chasers last year, it was a pretty safe bet that I'd definitely be the seventh wheel in there.

'


	2. I know what you did seven summers ago

Disclaimer: The characters belong to J.K. Rowling. Except for one you are about to meet.

Remember guys, this is my first story so I need lots of reviews and encouragement and help. Please review. and thanks to Ashley for doing so! I hope you like this chapter :-)

-CrazyNakedFeet

Closing the compartment door, I slowly turn around and bump straight into someone. (Note to self- start being more observant and watch where you are going, Wood)

'Sorry' I mutter, not even bothering to look up, and trying to shuffle past and keep going down the corridor. A hand on my arm prevents me from going anywhere.

'Oliver. It's been too long' The cool female voice makes me turn around. I recognize that voice. It's been seven summers since I last heard it, its grown more mature and softer since then, but there's no denying who it belongs to.

'So what's my favourite Quidditch captain doing wandering the corridors unaccompanied?' Lila Parkinson asks while running her finger up and down my forearm. I shiver. I'd never admit it, but I've always been a little intimidated by Lila and she knows it. Our families are close friends, as kids we used to go on holidays together. Being an only child, those holidays were some of the best times of my life. The Parkinsons had three children, Tobias, the eldest was two years older than me. As an enthusiastic seven year old with his first broom, Tobias was my hero, already he was in a Little League team as Keeper and was kind enough to teach me the same basic knowledge he had. Plus he was probably glad of the male company. Tobias was the big brother I never had, except unlike big brothers, he never bullied me, punched and kicked me or fought with me over anything, apart from whose turn it was to play keeper. He left the fighting to Lila. Lila is almost the exact same age as myself, she always had to play Quidditch with Tobias and I, our parents wanted to make sure no one was left out. Lila has always been very forceful and domineering, which is part of the reason why the Parkinsons sent her to Beauxbatons to learn some discipline. What is she doing here? I know her younger sister Pansy was here (sorted into Slytherin, worse luck. Despite the disappointment it must have caused her family, being all Ravenclaws themselves, they never showed anything less that proud parental support), but Lila should be in France.

'What are you doing here?' I ask, more rudely than I meant to.

'Aren't you happy to see me?' She pouts attractively, running her hands through her signature silky black Parkinson hair.

I'm frozen in place with shock, but I manage to unglue my tongue from the roof of my mouth enough to speak.

'Well, I'm a little surprised… Aren't you meant to be off at Beauxbatons, getting the discipline you need?'

'Poor French sweethearts' She sighs, taking her hand off my arm and moving her fingers to fiddle with my shirt collar, stepping in front of me, trapping me against the wall. 'They tried their best, but I was just-' Lila undoes a button on my shirt and leans in close to my ear, her breath hot on my neck '-too hot to handle' Her hand slips a little lower and undoes another button before I decide I've had enough of her stupid game and grab her by the wrists and twist around so she is taking my place against the wall. I pin her down, holding her wrists above her head. I bring my face close down to hers and, imitating her seductive manner, I lower my lips to her ear.

'Stop playing games, Lila. I still remember what you did seven summers ago.' I growl forcefully.

' So fine, come to my school, play your manipulative little sport with as many guys as you like, do whatever you want. But stay away from my friends and I. If they get hurt, you'll come to regret it'

'Hey Oliver, want to co-' Fred's head is sticking out the compartment door, but stops dead when he says what I admit must look pretty compromising. I've got Lila up against the wall, who, as much as it pains me to admit it, is incredibly attractive with her midnight hair, creamy skin and glittering black eyes, and my shirt is open almost down to my waist. We are both breathing heavily. I let go of Lila and take a big step back, hastily doing up my buttons. Lila looks unperturbed and plays with a lock of hair.

'Well, looks like I've caught our dear Captain at a very inopportune moment' Fred grins. 'But anyone who can get his mind off Quidditch and onto something normal like a girl gets my salute'

True to his word, Fred salutes her, George appearing under his elbow with the same manical grin, saluting away as well.

'We'll just give you a little privacy' George is really smirking now, Fred has disappeared back into the compartment, no doubt telling everyone what he just saw. ' We were going to ask if you'd like to come back and share our contraband supply of butterbeer and firewhiskey, but it looks like you've found someone.. er that is, something, better to do. Unless you'd like to join us too….?' George looks at Lila expectantly.

'Lila' She introduces herself. 'But I've got some business to take care of elsewhere. Bye Oliver.' She runs her hand across my chest before sashaying down the corridor. I notice George had once again been joined by Fred and Lee has appeared too. All three of them are definitely checking out her arse as her hips sway from side to side before she disappears into the next carriage. Lee even lets out a low whistle. Jerk. His girlfriend is right inside the compartment he is standing in the doorway of and he's whistling at the first piece of arse that walks past.

Fred grabs the front of my shirt and pulls me into the compartment. Wow, it's been changed a bit in the ten minutes I was gone. The seats have been folded up, creating more floorspace, which is now being occupied by a circle of seven cushions. Oh yeah, and a sea of bottles containing butterbeer and firewhiskey. Oh yeah, and my friends wolf-whisting loudly, the guys slapping me on the back and the girls jumping up and down squealing

'Ollie's got a GIRLFRIEND! Ollie's got a GIRLFRIEND!'.

'HOLD IT' I yell. 'I do NOT have a girlfriend'

'Just a casual shag then?' Angelina smirks

'No, an old family friend.' I retort.

'Must be a pretty close friend then.' Fred is smirking even more than Angelina. Goddamn, it's like being in a compartment full of Malfoys.

'Lila is not my girlfriend, nor ever has any chance of being so. OR a casual shag, snog or anything else. End of discussion.' I use my captain's voice and it effectively shuts everyone up. 'Anyway, we have at least three more hours before we get to Hogwarts and before I make drinking impossible with the intensive training program I have planned for you guys, I say we get into this and get good and drunk. After all, it's pretty much the only way to make the sorting go faster'

'Hear hear!' Fred says heartily, passing everyone a bottle. 'Cheers!'

We all clink our bottles and gulp down our drinks. It's tradition. Whoever finishes first gets to pick the first drinking game. Ten seconds later the winner is George. It's always one of the twins. They must have iron stomachs.

' I choose… Never Have I Ever' He exclaims triumphantly, wiping his mouth. The rules are pretty simple. Everyone get a drink, then we takes turns around the circle to say 'Never have I ever… then add something on. Then everyone who has done the deed mentioned has to drink. Simple enough. George starts.

'Never have I ever gone commando on a school day'

George, Fred, Lee, myself and Angelina drink. Hmm.. Angelina, that's surprising.

Angelina clears her throat. ' Never have I ever kissed anyone in this room'

Alicia, Katie, George and Lee drink. Pfft… boring. Oh wait, it means that Fred and Angelina still haven't hooked up yet. Better keep that one in mind. Anyway, the game continues with all the usual questions, all sexually related of course. (Hey, we're all horny teenagers cooped up in one castle for nine months of the year with the opposite sex. Of course all we think about is sex. Well, most of us anyway. Some of us have better things to do, like Quidditch. Yeah that's a lie… we ALL think about sex)

'Never have I ever had sex!' Katie roars. It's an old classic. We all laugh and take huge gulps of our drinks. We're all drunk by now, more merry than Hagrid in an Irish pub.

Alicia decides to step it up 'Never had I ever had sex with anyone in this room!' No one drinks. Wow. That's news. Katie and Lee still haven't gotten it on. And she spent a week at his house. Not that I think she would want to jump straight into bed with him (or anyone I hope), but it does seem kind of odd, since they were together all summer. And if I know anything about Lee, it's not that he wouldn't have tried.

It's Lee's turn. 'Never have I ever had a sex dream about anyone in this room' Lee takes a big swig of his drink, looking pointedly at Katie. Although the rest of us are drunk, we aren't quite so gone that we don't notice every single one of us taking a quick sip, avoiding everyone's eyes and hoping no one noticed. And at the same time noticing everyone else. There's an awkward silence. Well I guess it would be, since now we all know that we have had sex dreams about at least one other person in the room. And now we are all thinking back to our dreams… as much as I don't want to, I can't help but thinking of the recurring dream I kept having through the holidays.

_I'm running through a cornfield. I'm chasing a girl, I can hear her laughing. Everything but her swinging blonde hair is in softer focus, and flashes past in slow motion blurs. _

_We keep running and running and running. I keep catching up and almost getting her, but at the last second she keeps slipping away._

_At some point I catch her and pull her to the ground. Then everything stops being soft and playful, and her hands are wound tightly in my hair as she bites into my shoulder as I thrust into her, one hand holding the back of her head, the other on her hips, guiding her around me and burying myself deeper and I breathe into her neck. _

_And then with my hard chest pressing into her softness, both of us clutching tightly at each other , we both find release, and sweaty and panting I roll off her onto my back so we are laying side by side in the cornfield. Then I look over and find her green eyes staring straight back into mine. It's the most content I've ever felt, until her face starts melting into the ground, and I'm reaching over her, trying to pull her out of the ground, her body slipping away like sand until she is a pile of dirt and I'm digging_ _and digging, sifting through all the dirt and dust that moments ago, had been Katie Bell._

(A/N) I know how annoying it is to have to read this, but please REVIEW!!


	3. My Revelation

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Just half a cupboard full of unhealthy food and very minimal picking in my fridge. I really need to go shopping. Damn food costing money.

Anway... Herro again! I want reviews kids!! NOW! Sorry, I know how annoying it is to have authors on your back to review before you even get a chance to read the chapter... but now I am one I understand the need for feedback. It's like the cat that jumps into your lap- you like stroking it, but you hate all the buttering it does to your thighs. ouch!

to move forward- on with the story!

-CrazyNakedFeet

I'm lying on my bed now, facing the ceiling. The train ride has made me realise something.

I have feelings for Katie Bell. And I've had them for a long time. I can't believe I didn't realise before. All those training sessions, all those times she has been the one considerate enough to stay behind and help me pack away, all the times she stayed up almost all night with me in the common room going over new plays and tactics. Or just to talk. Before every game she always gets me some sort of joke gift, sort of a way of trying to distract me from the pressure I'm under I guess. And she has never once forgotten my birthday. That's just some of the kind things she does.

Then there's the other stuff. Like that long blonde hair and those beautiful green eyes and the tiny, pale, cute little freckles across her nose. And when she gets too hot and sweaty at training she just wears a sports bra thing. I never noticed it before, but damn that girl has a great body.

I've liked her for years I realise. Ever since she joined the team in her second year, the first girl on the Gryffindor team in twenty years. I should have realised it ages ago and made a move, but I didn't and now she has Lee Jordan.

Actually, it's weird that her being with Lee didn't trigger me to my feelings straight away. In fact it was Lila's unexpected reappearance in my life. I remember what Lila was like seven years ago, and she doesn't seem to have changed. Just thinking about what she could do to my friends got me all fired up and protective. And the one I thought most about protecting was Katie. I can only hope she won't need protecting.

But why her? Why Katie? It's not like there aren't plenty of other girls around here. I could have pretty much any of them if I really wanted. Actually I have had a few of them I remind myself gently. Somehow being Quidditch captain and having a Scottish accent makes me rather appealing, or so I've been told. And I guess I am pretty toned from Quidditch, but you'd think the girls would be more into a meathead like Diggory. Oh well they are, but they like me too. Something I guess I have taken advantage of once or twice. I'm only human. A male human at that.

But I sure picked a bad time to realise I want to be more than friends with Katie Bell. I mean, not only is she on the team, which I guess puts her, if not off limits, off advisable limits, but she's dating Lee, a good friend of mine (or he was) which definitely puts her off limits. And she's a year younger than me. Which isn't really much in the grand scheme of things, but I am leaving at the end of the year, and what's the point of trying to get something off the ground that probably has no future.

You're a moron, Oliver Wood. A complete idiot. You like Katie for four years, neglect to notice until today, and now it's too late. Great. You're just brilliant Wood.

But anyway, enough sulking around up here. Although being in seventh year really does have some perks I never thought I'd get. Seventh years get their own room, supposedly because we need the study space in order to be more prepared for our NEWTS. In addition to my room, which has WAY more space than the dorms I have to say, plus it has a fireplace so I won't freeze at night (castles made of stone tend to get a bit draughty) we get access to the prefect's bathrooms and of course I have my captain's office down on the pitch. But I digress. I should be down in the common room partying with everyone else. And I should stop thinking about Katie. It's just never going to happen and besides, she's a great friend.

As I'm thinking this, I walk down the stairs and into the common room, where the traditional welcome to Hogwarts party is in full swing. Most of the red and gold couches have been pushed into one corner where there are several couples making out (I notice Alicia and George trying to be surreptitious…note to self- use for blackmail if possible), tables laden with Honeydukes goodies and pumpkin juice lined the far end of the room. The rest of the space is taken up by people dancing and excited first years rushing around.

However, I do manage to spy my group of friends (most of them anyway) seated on a bunch of red and gold cushions near the main fireplace. Fred and Angelina are playing exploding snap, Lee is talking to Katie with his arm around her. As I get closer I see Lee goes to kiss Katie, but at the last second she turns her head and he winds up with a mouthful of hair. I stifle a laugh as Katie is looking at me. Oh. That's why she turned around. Not because she was avoiding kissing Lee like I was hoping. Oh well, at least she's smiling at me. Looks like the party is about to pick up, because here comes McGonagall.

I take a seat between Lee and Angelina, mouthing 'hello' at Katie . McGonagall walks to the centre of the common room and with a flick of her wand, the music stops and all eyes are silently focused on her.

'Good evening Gryffindor' She says sternly, but those of us in third year or above know her well enough by now to spot the twinkle in her eyes. 'It seems as though it is past your bed time. First years, you've had enough excitement for one day. You too, second years. Now scoot!'

She turns quickly to stare straight down into the eyes of a tiny first year girl.

The girl's eyes widen and she manages to stammer out 'Y-y-yes P-professor!' before running up the stairs. The rest of the first and second years follow her example and within a minute the common room is empty of the younger years.

'Mr Weasley, perhaps as Head Boy, you would be so kind as to chaperone them and supervise their first night at Hogwarts.' Percy nodded dutifully and pranced (yes, _pranced_) up the stairs, sticking his chest out so far you'd think he was going to fall over.

'Now, I know the rest of you are dying to get to some alternative… refreshments. Before you do, I'd just like to say goodnight, I'm expecting you all to go to bed now and I won't be back until the morning. Late tomorrow morning that is. And I expect to see a clean and tidy common room then… no wrappers or bottles of…juice… are to be left lying around for me to see.' She gives a hint of a smile and waves her wand at the ceiling. 'And to be considerate, the first and second years will not hear you. Goodnight Gryffindor' With that, McGonagall turns and leaves. As she steps through the potrait hole, I can swear I hear her snort with laughter.

As soon as she's gone, students run up to their dorms and bring down all the alocoholic beverages they can carry. I'm betting that not a lot of clothing, and certainly not a lot of school books were packed into trunks this year. Anyway, pulling my own flask out of my pocket, I turn my attention to the group. Holding up my flask, I propose a toast.

'Here's to a glorious seventh year, the year Gryffindor win the Cup!' I exclaim, clinking my flask of firewhiskey against everyone else's assorted beverages before taking a swig, as does everyone else.

Fred holds his bottle up 'Here's to McGonagall! She got rid of the kids, Percy, and gave us time to get good and smashed and clean up before she comes back tomorrow!'

We all drink heartily to that one. But anyway, Angelina has decided that we need to play more drinking games.

'I say we play truth or dare' She suggests.

'Come on Ange, that's not really a drinking game' Lee complains.

'We can still drink while we play it' She counters. 'When has it not given us a laugh?'

I decide to show a little support. Plus I've had a few more swigs from my flask and it's given me a bit of Dutch courage. 'Yeah come on Lee, don't be boring' I say.

'That's settled then' Fred decides as he finishes his drink, placing the empty bottle in the centre of the circle and waves his wand over it. Wizard truth or dare is basically the same as the muggle version, only you physically can't back out of your dare or lie. Fred spins the bottle. It lands on Lee.

'Truth or dare?' Fred grins.

'Dare' Lee replies immediately.

'OK…' Fred thinks for a moment. 'Every time someone picks truth, you have to remove one item of clothing, either until the game ends or you are naked.'

That's gold!

Lee takes it all in his stride. 'Suit yourself' he says. Then again, he is best friends with the twins, it'd take a bit more to put him off. He spins the bottle. Angelina.

'Truth' She says. 'Ha Lee! Strip, boy!'

We all cat-call as Lee takes his jumper off. But then it's his turn to smirk. 'Your question is- What happened in your kinkiest sex dream and who was it about?'

Angelina flushes bright red, which is a lot harder to do when your skin is as dark as hers is. Looking down, avoiding everyone's eyes, she speaks. 'We were dressed in clown shoes and make-up, smoking garlic-flavoured cigars while eating chocolate ice cream off each others bodies'

HAHAHAHA! We all just crack up. That's the funniest thing I've heard in ages. Tears are running down my face. Lee is the same, Katie a bit more subdued but shaking with silent laughter. Fred can't breathe, his face is going purple and he is literally rolling around on the floor laughing. He manages to wheeze out a few words 'Who was it?' Before collapsing into hysterics again.

Angelina flushed even more, if it was even possible and covers her face with her hands before whispering 'Fred'.

That just makes the rest of us laugh harder, except for Fred who sits straight up and looks like he's been hit in the head by a bludger. I don't think my poor stomach muscles can take it. It just gets funnier and funnier. First he looks dumbstruck, then happy that Angelina had a sex dream about him, then freaked out that it was so kinky, then happy that it WAS kinky, then embarrassed because we had all seen his reactions and knew exactly what he was thinking.

To try and change the subject, Angelina, still flaming, spun the bottle. Oh great. Me.

'Truth or dare?' She asks me.

'Dare' I answer. I don't care if I end up naked; I'm not sharing my dream with anyone.

' I dare you to stand in the middle of the common room, spin around eleven times then snog the hell out of the first girl you see. Oh, and you aren't allowed to say one word to her.' Ange looks pretty pleased with this one.

I stand and walk to the centre of the room. My group follows me, making sure they stand back though. I close my eyes and begin to spin. I count until I reach eleven, then stop and open my eyes. The world is still spinning. I'm trying to make out the blurry figures. That's Lee I'm pretty sure, holding hands with Katie. Hell yeah! My lucky day. I begin to stagger in their direction. I could be imagining it, but I think I just saw Lee pull Katie out of the way.

Who am I going towards now? Eleven times is a lot of spinning. I recover a bit more of my balance and stumble over to the first group of girls I come across. I grab one of them by the hand, spin her around and dip her backwards like a ballroom dancers and I press my lips to hers and kiss her gently, but still with a bit of passion. Might as well make it good for the poor girl. I can feel her trembling in my arms. I continue for a few more seconds before breaking the kiss and setting her back on her feet. No longer dizzy, I take a look at the girl I just kissed.

Hermione Granger. I'm amused, she's giving me a look of annoyed disapproval mixed with pleasant shock. As I'm not allowed to speak, I salute her and give her a wink and smile before turning and heading back to our cushions where the others are already waiting for me, laughing their heads off. I see Hermione surrounded by other third year girls, jumping and squealing all over her. I start paying more attention to what's around me.

'-face was priceless!' Fred exclaimed. I spun the bottle and it was back to Angelina. The game continued for another hour, at the end of which Lee was sitting in his boxers and one sock dancing with Ange, who was wearing all of Lee's discarded clothes, Fred was attempting to interrupt and join in with all the couples making out and I was sitting alone on our cushions with Katie. She had been pretty quiet the entire game, which was unsual for her. Normally Katie will be the first one snogging randoms and taking her clothes off. Well, I don't mean it quite like that, but she's usually having as much fun as the rest of us.

'What's up Katie?' I ask her gently.

She sighs. 'Nothing really.'

'Come on, that's such a standard crappy answer. I'm your friend and captain. You can tell me' I take her hand in mine. It's so soft. Now I have it I don't think I'm going to be able to let it go.

'Seriously, Oliver, it's nothing. Just drop it, ok?' She pulls her hand out of mine, not giving me a choice about whether I get to keep it or not.

'It can't be nothing. You should be really happy. We're back for another year at the best school in the world, we've got the best team in the school that's destined to win the cup, you have a great new boyfriend and we are playing one of your favourite games. It really can't be nothing'

'I said drop it. Just leave me alone' With that she stands up and walks up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.

(A/N) Ok, this is where you review now, and give me your feedback about what you want to happen next. I don't really have a plot outline or anything for this, im just posting as I write and going with whatever comes into my head. Probably not the most logical thing, but let me know how i'm doing and what I can do to make the story better for you

-CrazyNakedFeet


	4. Humiliation

Disclaimer: I own nothing. LAME.

Thanks to Ashley for reviewing- you asked for a chapter in Katie's POV so here it is... hope it doesn't disappoint. and you will find out what has been bothering her.

And also thanks to Heyyodude- man you rock my world right now. as soon as i post this i'm coming to check out your story.

Everyone else... REVIEW!! that way, you will get what you want (like Ashley did!). Hope you all like it :-)

-CrazyNakedFeet

**KATIE'S POV**

As I walk up the stairs, away from Oliver and the party, I can't help but glance back. Oliver is looking down, twisting his flask around in his hands. I can see him swear then throw it at the wall. He starts to look up towards me, but before we can make eye contact I duck my head and run the rest of the way upstairs and into my dorm.

I curl up on the window seat, and think about what made me walk out on the party.

_Stepping off the train, all the students, including myself make our way towards the coaches that will take us the rest of the way to Hogwarts. I'm holding onto to Lee's hand as he guides me through the crowd. With a sudden surge of people pushing, trying to get a coach, we are pulled apart. Already he is much further in front of me. It doesn't really matter; I'll see him on the coach. Lee looks back and shouts he'll see me later. _

_I'm tired from the train ride and to be honest I'm still drunk so I'm not exactly in a rush, so by the time I get to the coaches, they are all full. I groan, they look like they are about to leave. I run from one to the other, trying to see if there is a spare seat. Finally I find one. I jump in, just as it starts to move, not caring who else is in there that I have to spend the journey with. Sitting down, I turn around and see who I barged in on. Maybe I should have just stayed behind. _

_Marcus Flint leers at me. 'Good evening, Bell'_

'_Evening, Flint' I relpy stiffly. Normall I would tell him where to stick it, but I'm not really in the best position to be hostile. Behind Flint I can see some other familiar faces. Montague, Zabini, Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson and one other girl with black hair I don't recognise but judging from her face, she can only be a Parkinson. She pushes Flint out of her way and takes a seat opposite me._

'_Katie Bell…Lila Parkinson' She smiles at me, but it's the sort of smile a snake might give it's prey right before it strikes. _

'_Right. Well now we're acquainted, I'm just going to stare out the window until we get there' I try not to say this rudely, but the old Gryffindor/Slytherin rivalry is hard to quash, even for an hour's journey._

_Flint winds his hands in my hair and twists them painfully. Hands still in my hair, he forces me down to the ground so I am kneeling awkwardly in the centre of the floor. 'Do you think we've forgotten about last year, Bell' He says menacingly. _

_Shit. I had forgotten. Last year I had (stupidly) helped Fred and George pull off one of their greatest pranks. It had been a huge amount of work, but almost every night, thanks to the Maurader's Map, we had snuck down to the Slytherin common room and managed to used a Weasley modified crystal ball (honestly, those two are brilliant. If they actually did their homework they'd be top of the school) to record the Slytherins in their most private and embarrassing moments. _

_Including Flint jerking off in the shower with Montague peeking over the cubicle wall, Zabini picking at several scabs on his elbows and eating them, Malfoy sitting on the toilet, pissing like a girl while reading Witch Weekly and Pansy Parkinson taking herpes medication. Then the twins managed to convert the Great Hall's ceiling into a sort of giant screen which then played all this, among other stuff. No wonder the Slytherins were shitted off. I can't work out how they knew I was partly responsible though; I mean the twins were obviously (although no one can prove it) responsible, but as far as I knew they had no way of knowing about my involvement. I decide to try and play dumb._

'_I don't know what you're talking about Flint. Unless you mean the humiliation you suffer every time your seeker here fails to catch the snitch. Which just in case you don't realise, would be every time you play Gryffindor.' There goes trying to seem innocent._

_Montague kicks me hard in the kidneys. It hurts like hell, but I bite my tongue. I'm not going to give them the satisfaction of hearing my pain. He kicks me again and again, in my kidneys, stomach and legs, places that won't leave visible bruises. The pain is overwhelming it at first but then it just subsides into a dull thudding. Flint's hands in my hair push me into every kick. Then suddenly, it seems Montague has had enough. _

_It's Zabini's turn. He pulls out his wand, and with a muttered word it transforms into a whip, which he doesn't hesitate to use on me. It rips through my shirt and cuts into the skin on my back. I arch up, I want to scream and tears pool in my eyes. I shut them tightly. No matter how much it hurts they will not see me cry. I bite my lip fiercely and draw blood as Zabini exerts his rage on me. Then he is done. I open my eyes. My back is sticky with blood and it feels as though it is on fire. I don't want to think about what is to come. _

_Flint hauls me to my feet so hard and fast he actually rips some of my hair out. He pulls my face to his and jams his tongue down my throat. I try to push him off but he's too strong. His hands roam my body and force their way under my clothes and onto my skin while I kick out at and claw to get free. As suddenly as he started he stops. _

_Because Malfoy has stood up, wand raised and ready. Flint pushed me round so I am facing Malfoy who is looking at me with anger, yet I can see the uncertainty in his eyes. _

'_Just do it' I tell him monotonously. 'Whatever it is, I don't care. Just get it over with'_

_He raises his wand, mouth opening, then falters. _

'_What are you waiting for, Draco?' Pansy Parkinson demands. 'Curse the bitch'_

_Again Malfoy raises his wand. He is looking even less certain now, and I begin to wonder what can be so horrible that even Malfoy hesitates before punishing a Gryffindor with it._

'_Let me step in, dear sister' Lila says languidly. She gently pushes Malfoy away, but not without giving him a look of digust, the same look upon her sister's face. Lila draws a long ebony wand from her robes. Even the sight of the wand is enough to make me a shiver, a detail Lila doesn't miss._

'_You are scared Katie Bell.' She smiles at this, that same snakey smile. 'You should be. I'm afraid this is going to hurt you a lot more than it is going to hurt me.' She aims her wand at my chest. '_Crucio'

_And suddenly my heart feels like it has stopped and is bursting through my ribs. It feels like my skin is splitting and my bones are on fire and everything has turned to hot liquid, burning me in the most painful way possible, pain echoing and rebounding through my skull. My eyeballs feel as though they are popping out of their sockets with all the pressure the pain is causing. It hurts more than anything I could possibly have imagined and it's so intense I wish someone would just kill me so it could stop._

_And all of a sudden, it does stop. I'm not dead, just drenched in sweat and blood and wishing I was, surrounded by jeering and laughing Slytherins._

_Lila lifts her wand again. I brace myself for more, but all that happens is that I am instantly dry and clean, with all evidence of my attack hidden by my clothes._

_Looking out the window, I see we have finally arrived and not looking at anyone in the coach, I wrench the door open before it has even stopped and run straight into the castle, not looking at anyone and take a seat in the Great Hall, gulping down goblet-fulls of cold water before Lee and the team join me._

As the memory of my humiliation returns to me, so does the pain. I ease myself off the seat and into the bathroom where I slowly peel off my clothes. I try to turn so I can see my back in the mirror. In addition to the many blue and black bruises that cover my ribs, stomach , thighs and lower back, I have long weeping red gashes open on raised welts running across the length of my back from shoulder to hip. I touch my shoulder gingerly and flinch immediately. I turn on the shower and step in, trying to wash away the recent events, despite the sting the warm water causes. I sit and let the water run over me until it grows cold and I begin to shiver and decide it's time to get out. Wrapping my soft red towel around me, I walk out of the bathroom. From the sounds of it, the party is still going strong, even though it is already three and should be winding up. I sit on the bed, and start digging around in my trunk for pyjamas. I hear a soft knock. I look up, but it doesn't seem to have come from the door. The knock comes again, and I realise it's from the window.

Oliver Wood is hovering outside on his broom. He is shivering, it must be freezing out there and all he's wearing is a tee shirt. Even though I'm only wearing a towel, I take pity on him and open the window.

'Oliver, what the hell are you doing?' I demand as he tumbles through the open window.

'Wow, what are you doing?' He replies, staring at me in my towel. In response I pull it tighter around me and tuck a corner in so it stays up by itself.

'Get out Wood. You aren't supposed to be in here. Anyway, I'm going to bed and I don't want to talk to you' I snap, pushing him towards the door. As I turn around, my towel sags and threatens to fall off. Luckily, I manage a quick save so all the Oliver could possible have seen would have been my back. My back. Shit.

'Katie' He says softly. 'What happened?' He walks towards me, but I step back. I'm not going to tell him. It would only make him go after those Slytherins and I wasn't going to give them the chance to hurt anyone else.

' It's not important, ok? Like I said before, just drop it' I cross my arms defensively and hope I've been assertive enough that Oliver will actually just drop it and leave. However, he seems to have other ideas, taking my hands and dragging me over to bed sitting down. He tugs on my hands so I have to join him. He faces me away from him and gently pulls the towel down at the back. I inhale sharply as he runs his hands softly over my torn and bruised flesh.

'God, Bell, why would someone do this to you?' He asks

'Oliver, it doesn't matter. And I'm still mad at you, ok?' I'm not really, but I want to keep him at least slightly distracted from the fact that I've obviously had my arse kicked.

'No you're not. I know you Katie. If you were mad, I'd be an icicle outside that window. But if you don't want to tell me now, that's fine. I'll just fix you up and leave. But you will have to tell me some time.' Oliver's words are firm but tender. He picks up his wand and in a minute the pain lessens, not quite gone, but definitely no throbbing sting remains. My back feels like it is coated in cool soothing gel. I reach behind experimentally to touch it, but it is only skin I can feel. Oliver may be able to make the pain stop, but the welts are still there.

'The cuts should be sufficiently healed by morning. Just don't sleep on your back' He tells me.

'Good. Wait, sufficiently for what?' Suddenly I'm suspicious.

'Why, Quidditch of course' He flashes that trademark Scottish grin, then picks up his broom and leaves as quickly as he came.

I'm so tired I don't even care. I pull on my pyjamas and crawl into bed. Shortly after, when I'm just about to doze off, the party comes to an end and there is the thunderous noise of the senior girls coming up the stairs, then the drunken giggling and gossiping. I pretend to be asleep so I won't have to think of an excuse for why I left so early. _At least I won't have a hangover_ is my last thought before I drift off.


	5. My new duty

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Most of them anyway.

**Thank you to those of you that reviewed!!**

**Cinny- Thanks for your comments, its ok if you aren't sure what to write, it's awesome to know someone likes my story.**

**Ashley- you are awesome, as usual!**

**Heyyyodude- NEVER apologise for writing a long review. I love it!! **

**Everyone else- GET ON THE REVIEW BANDWAGON!! All the cool kids (i.e. Cinny, Ashley and Heyyo) are doing it. Read, enjoy, then give me your feedback so I can improve and deliver what you want.**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**

* * *

**OLIVER'S POV**

Concentrating has just become impossible. I sigh and sweep all the Quidditch models I use to make plays off my desk. I just can't stop thinking about what happened to Katie. I haven't slept for days. I know Lila had something, hell, _everything_ to do with it. I keep trying to figure out what Katie could possibly have done to make Lila do something like this. As far as I know, they hadn't even met before then. As much as I keep trying to push it out of my mind, the image of Katie's back, already small and fragile , her pale skin torn away and discoloured by bruising. I clench my fists and feel a vein in my neck twitch. I hadn't realised I was so tense. I need to relax about it. Katie has.

In fact, she's never seemed happier. Now that her back is healed, she's 100 back to normal, running and shouting in the corridors with the twins, spending a lot of private time with Lee and even her performance on the pitch is better than it has ever been. I need to get over this. She obviously is. But what Katie doesn't know, I remind myself, is what Lila is. Get over it Wood! I slap myself on the forehead, both mentally and physically. It's been three weeks, nothing bad has happened. Stop being paranoid and go back to being normal.

So in order to go back to normal, I decide to go downstairs and see if there's anyone worth asking to Hogsmeade, there's a trip this weekend. Yeah, I know I like Katie, but to face the truth, she has Lee (who I grudgingly admit, is a pretty decent guy, even if he does have a wandering eye, he's never going to act on it. Not with Katie anyway. He's not that stupid.) so I might as well distract myself and have some fun.

Coming out of the stairwell, I run my eyes over the population of the Gryffindor common room. Hermione Granger is sitting with Harry and Ron. She catches my eye and looks away, blushing furiously. Harry notices and laughs his head off. Ron goes very red and by the look of his face, says something sarcastic. Holding in my laughter, I'm interrupted in my girl-scouting by the twins jumping on my back.

'Gerroff me!' My voice is muffled by the identical forms sprawled on top of me. We all get up and grab a couch.

'So Wood, asking anyone to Hogsmeade?' George asks. 'I would say yes, but I'm already going with Alicia.'

'Nah, not yet. Haven't really seen any talent in here' I reply. 'What about you Fred? You going to ask Ange?'

Fred goes as red as Ron did moments ago. 'What makes you think I'd ask her? I happen to have reason to believe that Katie is totally into me'

I snort. 'Yeah, maybe, if she wasn't already dating your best friend.'

It's Fred's turn to snort. 'Pfft. Can you see that lasting? The longest Lee dated anyone before Katie was five minutes. And since he's not getting any sex… well. Besides, when was the last time you saw them actually kiss ? I mean, I know they are like _always _together, but I think she secretly likes me. Every time I see her with Lee, she keeps staring at me and giving me these desperate looks. She wants me, I know it'

Even Fred laughs with me and George at that one. Well he is right about the kissing thing, come to think of it.

'But seriously,' He continues. 'Katie really does give me these strange desperate stares.'

'Sure, whatever you think Weasley' I smirk. 'So you asking Ange or not?'

'Well she's saying yes now, so he better plan something nice.' Angelina is standing behind Fred and has heard our entire conversation. Fred goes bright red, but is grinning wildly. He reaches up, grabs her hand and pulls her onto the sofa, flipping her onto her back so she is lying across our laps with her head in Fred's lap. He gives her a peck on the nose and pulls her up so she is sitting on his lap.

'See, I'm so irresistible that I don't even have to ask' He says smugly. Angelina rolls her eyes.

'Sure you are. That's exactly why you are blushing so hard right now' She says. 'But anyway, you're wrong about Katie liking you. But right about the staring. I can't believe you guys haven't noticed it by now, but she's totally looking for a way to break up with Lee.'

'She told you that?' I'm paying way more attention now.

'What? No. You know what Katie's like. She won't talk about anything'

I know that far too well. She won't talk about the first night back. I think she's ben avoiding me so she won't have to.

Angelina continues. 'It was such a mistake for her and Lee to start dating. I don't think she ever saw him as more than a friend in the first place. I think she just caved and gave I because she felt so bad that he keep asking her out and she kept making excuses.'

'So why doesn't she just break up with him then? ' George is as confused as I am.

'Well, she doesn't want to do it for what will seem like no reason to Lee. I mean, even though its true, 'let's just be friends' isn't exactly going to sound sincere or original, is it? So I think she's waiting for Lee to screw up, or find an opportunity to screw up herself so that Lee with beak up with her'

Fred looks a little enlightened. 'She should just cheat on him then.'

'You really want her to do that to your best friend?' She asks incredulously.

'I guess not' He admits.

'Well, it would make it hard for her to stay friends with Lee' I say. 'Plus, I don't think Katie would do it'

'Well, maybe she just needs the right someone to change her mind' George is looking slyly at me as he says this.

Fred picks up on his brother's vibe. 'Yeah, I know of an excellent candidate.'

Ange giggles. 'Tall, toned and goodlooking.'

Fred shoots her a glare. Ange just sticks her tongue out cheekily.

'And Quidditch Captain to boot' George adds.

'A dream catch' Fred sighs. 'For a girl, I mean' he says hastily, seeing the look we are all giving him.

'Guys… I can't steal Katie off Lee, he's my mate. Besides, I don't even like her that way' I protest

'Sure you don't like her' Ange says sarcastically. 'Just nevermind the way you're always staring at her, they way you make sure you always sit across from her at meals, the way you always go softer on her at practice and walk her back to the castle afterwards.'

Fred interjects. 'But who said anything about you, Wood? We were thinking of Diggory'

'WHAT?! That wanker?!' I yell, attracting the stares of everyone else in the common room. I lower my voice. 'You're not serious are you?'

'No, but your reaction proves you do like Katie' George is smirking smugly.

'I just meant that he's the enemy, not to mention half retarded' I mutter. 'But honestly, you can't really want Katie to cheat on Lee. He's our friend.'

'Yeah, but he's cheated on every girlfriend he's had so far. It's only a matter of time before he does it to Katie.' Fred says. 'Maybe it's about time he got a taste of his own medicine'

Ange looks outraged. 'He's cheated on ALL his girlfriends?!'

George turns to her. 'Yeah, I thought everyone knew that. He's a bit of a legend in the locker room, if you know what I mean'

Ange rolls her eyes. 'Only men, being the bastards they are, would think that someone who does that deserves any kind of congratulations'

'But you love us all the same' Fred gives her puppy dog eyes.

'Anyway, so we're in agreement.' George's voice has a note of finality to it. 'Next training after showers, we lock Katie and Oliver in the changerooms together and let nature take its course' He waggles his eyebrows suggestively at this.

'Since when did we agree on that?' I demand.

'I vote yes' Ange says.

'Me too' From Fred.

'And me' George says. 'You're outnumbered Wood. Majority rules!'

With that, both the twins and Angelina stand and run out the portrait door, grins all over their faces.

The dickheads. Just wait until training. I'll make them sorry. Training. Oh shit. The full implications of what I'm supposed to do hit me. There's no way I can do that to Katie and Lee. Assuming that Katie returns my feelings anyway. They can lock me and Katie up together, but they can't make me do anything. As much as I want Katie to be with me, I'm not going to go about it by trying to steal her from my friend. Plus I don't really want to lose Lee's friendship. Or Katie's for that matter if she didn't return my advances.

I look at my watch. Class time. And I'm running late. Shit. Hmm. It's herbology. I should go, I can't remember the last time I actually went to this class. It's kind of inconvenient, it starts at 8:30am on a Monday morning, so it's not really that high on my priority list. Since we have that with Ravenclaw, hopefully there will be so many students that Sprout won't have noticed that I'll have snuck in fifteen minutes late.

* * *

I'm right. She didn't notice. Well, if she did, she didn't let on. But I don't think she's that good. Only McGonagall is that good. And Snape. Well, he'd notice my absence for sure, but definitely wouldn't let me get away with it. Surrounded by Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, I pick up my plant ( I have no idea what it is, something small and orange and evil-smelling) as per instructions, and set it on the table in front of me, getting out my book to draw and label it. A shadow falls over the page. I don't even have to look up to know who it is. I can't believe I had forgotten the reason I hadn't been to this class in so long. Lila.

I don't know how she got sorted into Ravenclaw, she's pure Slytherin material. But here she is, looming over me in a greenhouse. I finally look up, knowing she won't go away.

'Oliver' She plays with her hair. 'Have you been avoiding me?'

She knows the answer.

'Evidently not well enough' I answer, turning back to my plant. Lila is undeterred and takes a seat opposite me.

'Oliver… come on. Surely you want to catch up with me, it's been seven years. Aren't you curious about what I've been up to?'

I lean forward, hands on the table and push my face right up to hers so I'm practically spitting on her. 'Do you mean aside from brutally attacking innocent girls?' I actually do spit on her, I say this so forcefully.

For once, Lila looks surprised, but recovers quickly. She smiles. 'Funny. I would have thought that one would have kept quiet.'

'Yeah, you like your victims quiet, don't you Lila? How's Tobias these days? Are you guys on speaking terms?'

Lila goes pale. 'Keep your voice down, Wood' She snaps.

'Oh yeah, that's right. He can't talk. Thanks to you, your own brother is just a lump of flesh taking up space at St Mungo's. No words, no movement, no thoughts. He's just slowly dying, breathing his way closer to death. BECAUSE OF YOU, YOUR OWN BROTHER IS PRACTICALLY DEAD!'

I'm so furious I pick up my plant, hurl it at the wall and hearing the pot it was in smash, I turn and stride out of the greenhouse, pausing only slightly to pick up my bag. As I leave I can hear the gossip already starting and Proffessor Sprout shouting at me to return to her class, but I don't care. Lila has already gotten away with far too much, I'm not going to let her get away with any more. Throwing open the door to my room, I fling my bag against the far wall, not caring about the tinkling sound of my ink bottles breaking and the stain spreading across the floor.

I lie face down on my bed, pressing my face into the pillow, trying to block out the memories that refuse to disappear.

_My eleven year self, broom in hand, is sitting on the wide brown leather sofa in the Parkinson's living room. I'm stroking Bernie, the Parksinson's golden retriever as I wait for Tobias, who is upstairs fetching his broom and quaffle. Lila, also eleven, appears in the doorway hands held behind her back. Bernie whimpers and runs off._

'_Hi Oliver' She says. 'What are you doing?'_

'_Waiting for Toby' I reply. I wish Tobias would hurry up. Lila always wants to do something horrible. And if she isn't doing it to me, she'll want me to help her do it to someone else._

'_Look what I got' She giggles, pulling a wand from behind her back._

_I gasp. 'Lila, where did you get that? You know you aren't supposed to have a wand yet'_

_She shrugs. 'Well, we already got our letters from Hogwarts, so I'm allowed to have a wand. So I borrowed Toby's'_

'_What?! You really aren't supposed to have that. We aren't allowed to do magic yet' _

_She smiles wickedly. 'But I'm getting good. See' She points the wand at a vase of flowers. '_Avada Kedavra_!'_

_I gasp. My parents have always told me, under no circumstances is it ever ok to use that curse. _

_The flowers have gone brown and wilted. _

'_Lila, you need to give that wand back to Toby. It's his, not yours. And you aren't ever supposed to use that spell. You aren't allowed to do magic Lila. Tob-'_

'_Toby gets everything first' Lila cuts me off. She comes towards me and sits next to me. I lean away from her, not wanting one of her parents to walk in and catch us with Tobias' wand and think I helped Lila take it. She leans close to me however, and I quickly run out of sofa to lean on.She whispers in my ear._

'_I'll tell you a secret Oliver. I'm going to get rid of Toby, so I can be first. ' She smiles again. _

_I'm scared. 'TOBY!' I shout. 'HURRY UP'_

'_Good. You're helping' Lila nods at me. 'You get him down here, and then I'll kill him'_

'_What?! Do you even understand what you're saying Lila? He's your brother. Why would you want to kill anyone?' I have a small moment of courage and stand in front of her, blocking the stairs. _

'_I told you, I want to be first' She says this just as Tobias comes down the stairs, broom slung over his shoulder. _

_He grins at me. 'You don't need to shout Oliver.' He pauses on the landing, in front of the shoe rack under the mirror, as he sees Lila holding a wand. 'Hey! Is that my w-'_

'_AVADA KEDAVRA!' Lila directs the wand straight over my shoulder at Tobias, but not before I jump at her and tackle her to the ground, spoiling her aim. _

_The bolt of green shoots out of her wand, glancing off the wall and into the mirror on the landing wall, dissolving into Tobias' reflection. _

I roll over onto my back. It's been seven years and I still can't believe that an eleven year old with no magical training managed to pull off such a difficult spell. I've researched it since, and all the texts say the more passion the spell caster has when performing the spell, the more powerful it is. This makes sense. What I can't work out is how a child became so jealous she wanted to kill her own brother so much that she actually tried so hard.

She didn't succeed, but she might as well have. The spell didn't directly hit Tobias, but the fact that it went into his reflection was enough to turn him to put him in a coma he's been in for the past seven years. The doctors at St Mungo's say the chances of him ever waking up are extremely slim. If that's what Lila was capable of as an child, I don't want to even think of her abilities now. Even though I've seen the results on Katie.

What really scares me though, is afterwards, she laughed. Laughed. And as far as I know she has never shown any sign of remorse. As she was only a minor, she was never brought up to the Wizengamot. That's why the Parkinsons sent her to Beaxbatons. They just couldn't look at her; they couldn't stand being under the same roof. The poor, poor Parkinsons. What had they ever done to deserve a daughter like Lila? They must punish themselves every day for raising such a child. But I myself had been half-raised by them, so I know nothing they ever taught her could have influenced her behaviour. Lila is just pure evil, plain and simple.

I make up my mind right then, that Lila will not hurt anyone ever again. I failed Tobias, and I might have been too late for Katie so far, but now I'm going to make it my mission to make sure she's safe, along with everyone else in the castle.

* * *

**OK, now here's the part you click the blue button and give me your thoughts. GO TEAM GO! (psst... do it now)**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**


	6. Lee, Lila and the Locker Room

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. God i wish i did though. no... I wish I owned Oliver Wood.

**Hey Guys,**

**Chapter 6 is here! I'm trying to update as quick as I can, I'll try to be consistent. Thank you to all the good kids who reviewed!**

**Heyyo- I love hearing from you... hope this lives up to your expectations**

**Echis- a new one! yay! This chapter's a little less intense. **

**Also thanks to the very very lovely lilu05 and Cinny75. Your reviews rock my world, everyone else, join the club and get membership badges of AWESOME... just be reviewing!**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**

* * *

**KATIE'S POV**

Piling scrambled eggs high on my toast, I take a sip of pumpkin juice, then it sprays out of my mouth as I snort with laughter at Fred and George as they battle their bewitched muffins against each other. And my juice lands all over Lee. This makes me laugh harder, but he doesn't look amused. More than that, it's like he doesn't even notice that he is now covered in juice and spit. Strange. Normally Lee would be trying to smush up the muffins with his own food solider, or he'd spit his own juice back at me, but he just continues to stare straight ahead.

'Hellooo! Earth to Lee!' I say into his ear, waving my hand in front on his face. He blinks and seems to come out of his trace, turning to face me.

'Hey, Katie.' He grins, taking my hand in his, putting his other one on my thigh. Not near my knee either. High up my thigh. I gently remove it.

'Lee, not now' I whisper, trying to avoid anyone else noticing me say this.

'Why not?' He whispers back. 'What's wrong with you?'

'There is nothing wrong with me, ok? I just don't think breakfast is a very good time to be pawing each other' I whisper back, trying not to get angry. I'm lying though. It's nothing to do with breakfast. It's more to do with the fact that I just can't get past thinking about Lee as more than a friend. In the beginning, when I first agreed to become his girlfriend, I figured that I'd grow to like him that way, but it just hasn't been working. At first I didn't mind so much, it was nice to have someone to cuddle with and even if I don't really think of Lee in a sexual way, he's still a great kisser. But lately it's been getting harder to get out of coming into close contact with him. He's been pushing to take our relationship to a more physical (well, physical at all) level, but I just can't bring myself to fake any sort of passion for him. And I can't break up with him; it's been too long for me to use the 'better off as friends' line, not to mention how cruel that is. So, I'm taking the coward's way out and hoping that he will break up with me.

Lee sighs. 'Look Katie, we need to talk'

He takes my hand and leads me out of the Great Hall, leaving the team. I look back and see Fred has George in a headlock and is squishing his muffin over George's face. Angelina and Alicia are beside themselves with laughter, and Oliver is looking right back at me. I look away quickly, not wanting to have too much eye contact in case he takes it as an invitation to follow us. He does, getting out of his seat. But he isn't even looking at me, I realise. He's looking past me. Anyway, I have no time to consider that now, because Lee has dragged me all the way out into the hallway and behind a suit of armour.

Lee faces me. 'Katie, what's up with you? Is there something wrong with me?'

'No, Lee, there is nothing wrong with you. You're great. Seriously.' I'm not exactly lying. I do think he's great and that there is nothing wrong with him. The problem is with me. If only I actually could get away with 'it's not you, it's me'.

'Well, what's the problem then? How come you don't want to touch me? We haven't even kissed in two weeks. To be honest, I'm starting to wonder if you're getting something somewhere else.'

I stare at Lee, shocked. He thinks I'm cheating on him? Well if that's all he thinks of me, then I guess I don't have to worry about hurting his feelings.

'No, I am not cheating on you. I'm hurt you'd even think that. In fact, it's a little suspicious. Is there something you aren't telling me? 'Cause you really haven't seemed to mind about the kissing thing until now.' I assert myself much more strongly than Lee expected me to. He is taken aback.

'I don't want to hurt you Katie, it's just that I'm a guy, you know…' He looks at the floor.

I respond icily. 'No, Jordan, I don't know. Why don't you share?'

He takes a deep breath. 'I'm really sorry, Katie, I didn't mean for things to turn out this way. But, she was just so tempting, and I was beginning to think I'd never get any from you-'

'-You thought right' I interrupt.

'Old habits die hard. I'm so sorry, Katie. You have to believe me on that' Lee does look sorry, he won't meet my eyes and his voice begs for forgiveness. He isn't going to get any. I know I didn't really like Lee, and I'm not jealous of this girl, but it's still a rude shock to my system. I know I said I wasn't jealous, but I'm still curious. I want to know who this girl is.

'Who is she?' I ask. My voice is calm and steady, I don't even sound mad. I guess I'm not. _Well_, I think, _that's because you're relieved you have an excuse to break up now._

'You wouldn't know her' Lee says. 'Look, I'm really sorry Katie, but I still really really like-'

'Who is she, Lee?'

'Lila Parkinson'

Lila Parkinson. I don't get what that girl has against me. Well, I humiliated her sister, but she'd had her revenge for that. Mentally, my jaw has dropped down to the floor and I'm screaming_ WHAT THE FUCK?!_ inside my head, but I keep my cool on the outside.

'Well I hope she was worth it. I'm sorry you couldn't keep it in your pants and it had to work out this way. I'll see you around Lee.' With that, I leave. I didn't think there was much else to say. He cheated on me, it gave me an excuse to end it, so I guess everything was working out just fine.

Except I knew Lila Parkinson would be way out of Lee's league. Not to be cruel or anything, but somehow I just couldn't see her going for the prankster sidekick. She'd want to be the queen. I didn't know her well at all, we'd only met once, but somehow I couldn't see her settling for anything other than number one. Lee is cute, not that cute.

I decided to push it out of my mind. It didn't really matter who Lee cheated on me with, the point is he did it. I walk down the corridor, not really sure where I'm going. My feet however, do seem to know and I end up down at the Quidditch pitch.

I lay down on the cool grass. No one is down here, they are all either still at breakfast or will be going to class. I just can't be bothered. Hey, I have an excuse. I just broke up with my boyfriend. Pfft. Not that I even care. I nearly laugh at loud. Suddenly I have the impulse to fly. Lucky Oliver keeps a couple of the better school brooms in the Gryffindor locker rooms. I fetch one and kick off. I soar around the pitch, doing a lap then weaving in and out of the goal hoops. Feeling extra daring, or maybe even extra free now that I had gotten rid of Lee, I fly up around the castle, ducking in and out around the turrets. I fly through the window of the Gryffindor boys first year dorm, do a tight circle and fly out again.

It feels amazing, wind in my hair blowing it off my face, sun on my back. I'm so happy as I fly back towards the pitch I have a crazy moment. Closing my eyes and throwing my head back, I fling my arms wide and shout 'THIS IS BETTER THAN SEX!'

'Obviously, you haven't had sex with the right person'

I nearly fall off my broom. I'd know that Scottish brogue anywhere.

'Oliver!' I whirl my broom around. I'm totally mortified.

'Relax, Bell' He's wearing that trademark Scottish smile. Hovering on his broom opposite me, wind blowing through his hair, he looks so damn sexy I feel like launching myself off my broom at him.

Wait, hold up! Where did that come from? You sure rebound fast Bell. Cool it, he's a good friend. And your Quidditch Captain. My hormones aren't paying any attention though, I instinctively try to smooth my hair and smile flirtily.

'I am relaxed. Maybe I haven't had sex with the right person… I guess there's only one way to find out though'

He smirks. 'Need any help with that?'

'I'll let you know'

'You wanna play a little one on one?' Oliver asks, holding up a quaffle.

'Sure' I smile back.

For the next hour and a half we take turns being keeper and chaser, although, obviously we aren't nearly as good or competitive when our positions are reversed. At the end, we collapse on the pitch, backs to the grass, looking up at the sky.

'Look' Oliver points to the sky. 'It's a teapot'

He means a cloud.

'No way, it's Snape's head. See, there's his greasy hair, and the hook of his nose is right over there' I point as I talk. Oliver has it so wrong.

'Nope, I don't see it' He says, squinting.

'Turn your head to the side' I advise.

He does turn his head, but completely the wrong way. I sigh.

'No, here' I sit up and turn to him, placing my hands either side of his face. 'This way.' I move his head to the right place. 'See it now?'

He sits up too, my hands still holding his face.

'No. Why would I want to see Snape when I have you to look at?' He is looking directly into my eyes.

I feel my cheeks flush. I want to look away, but I can't. I can't even take my hands away.

I try to say something. 'Oliver…'

Now he looks away. He puts his hands up to his face and gently brings mine down to my lap.

'Sorry' He is quiet. ' I shouldn't have said that. Lee is one of my best friends. And so are you'

'No, Oliver' I try to say something, anything. I have no idea what though.

He picks up his broom and stands, pulling me to my feet next to him .

'So, let's not make this weird and awkward' He is bright and cheery once again. 'Race you to the locker rooms!' And he's off before I can even say or do anything.

I run too, but he has a distinct advantage since he was already holding his broom and started running before me. By the time I get there, he is already inside, long gone. But Fred and George are there, standing either side of the door. They look mighty sus to me. Fred and George loitering anywhere is suspicious. I approach them warily.

'What are you guys up to?' I ask carefully.

'Us? Up to something? Whatever would give you that idea?' George looks scandalised at the very idea. I raise my eyebrow.

'Ok point taken' Fred admits. 'We were going to put a charm on the door so that when Oliver walks out, his clothes, sans underwear of course, stay behind'

'Only' George sighs dramatically. 'It appears our dear Captain is being far too predictable and has shut himself up in his office, working on tactics presumably'

'So that's where you can help us, my lovely friend' Fred says. 'We would go in there with an excuse to get him out ourselves, but it would appear a tad suspicious, given our mighty reputation. But you however, can.'

'Hmm, what's in it for me?' I ask

'Why, the sight of Oliver Wood in his boxers of course' George says winking at me. 'We won't tell Lee'

Mmm… that sexy Scottish body wearing almost nothing would be worth it… and I have to go in there anyway to put this broom away…

'OK, I'll do it' I tell them. 'But only cos it's you guys. And not because of the half-naked thing either.'

'Suuure' They chorus, pushing me into the locker rooms.

Wait! I haven't thought of a reason for needing Oliver to come outside. I turn around in time to see the door shut and click, locking me inside. I run to the door, banging my fist against it. I know its no use shouting at them to open the door, if they've locked it, they obviously don't want me coming out. I pull out my wand.

'Alohomora!' It doesn't work. Damn those twins and their super magicness. Now I'm stuck here until they decide to let me out. I should have known it. They never humiliate someone without an audience. Suddenly, it is silent. I realise it because I can no longer hear running water. Wait. Running water? That means Oliver is not in his office at all, he must be taking a-

'Bell?' Oliver appears, dripping wet, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. 'What's all the racket about?'

I swallow. Merlin. Look at that body. Long, toned arms, hairy (but not too hairy) legs displaying fantastic calf muscles. Broad, muscular shoulders taper to a hard, narrow waist. He's muscly in that toned, athletic way, not that ugly bulgy, bulky look some guys aim for. His skin, pale and creamy, has droplets of water running down it.

'I…we're locked in' I say.

* * *

**Hehehe! I'm so evil... cliff hanger. But you all know there is going to be some seriously steamy locker room action. It's only a little obvious. mmm Oliver...**

**Anyway I'm going to go before my lack of Oliver highlights my need to have my sex life back any more.**

**Now review chipmunks!**


	7. I'm Sorry

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Goddammit.

**Ok Guys, there is some swearing and a bit of adultness in this chapter, so you are warned.**

**Thank you to my lovely, lovely reviewers. Even though there are only a few of you, you all make my day.**

**Lilu05, Cinny75, Echis and of course, Heyyo, I love you more that a bucket full of red m&ms and sugar quills. Keep reviewing, you just make it all worth it.**

**Also, this Friday (April 25th) is ANZAC Day in Australia (where I am from) and New Zealand, so I'd like to take this opportunity to pay my respects to the brave men and women who lost their lives in the name of my country.**

**Please enjoy and review, i'd like to hear from more of you and know what you think!**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**

I stare at Katie. Fuck. The twins have gone ahead with their plan. They could have told me. Even though I'm not going to act on it. She's with Lee. But she's looking at me in the same way I try and keep myself from looking at her. It's just pure lust. So I let the towel fall.

'Oops' I hear myself say.

This is so not me. Wood, get your towel back! What are you doing? This is one of your best mate's girlfriends, your team mate, not to mention a good friend of yours. _Not to mention a fucking hot friend_ my inner voice says to me. What the hell. I throw my inhibitions and concerns to the wind and push her against the lockers.

'Wood' She breathes, caught under me. 'What are you doing?

'Something I wish I'd done a long time ago' I reply, before taking her lips in mine.

And I take them. I kiss, I lick, I slide my mouth across hers, I steal her bottom lip and run my tongue along it, biting gently before slipping my tongue into her mouth. And she is responding and kissing me back. Oh God is she kissing me back, running her hands through my hair, pulling at my back, pulling me closer into her. It's amazing. We are kissing fiercely and passionately, hands running everywhere, over each other's faces and necks. I slip my hands under her shirt, which then seems to just slide off and her hands are all over my bare chest. Her mouth is hot and wet under mine and feels incredible, but I just want to taste more of her. I let my lips fall from her mouth and wander down her jaw and pause at her neck, finding new excitement there, my mouth causing moans and whimpers to slip from her lips. I flick my tongue against her pulse point. That gets a reaction.

'Oliver…' She gasps.

Then I realise the reality of what I'm doing and back off immediately, quickly grabbing my towel to cover myself.

'I'm so sorry Katie' I whisper. 'You're with Lee. I'm so sorry'

And hitching my towel around me further, I run around the corner and into my office. I sink down on the red sofa, putting my head in my hands. Oh dear God what have I done? I have probably ruined one of the greatest friendships I have, as well as going behind Lee's back and betraying him and possibly dividing up my team, just one month before the deciding match for the grand final. Oh fuck, fuck, fuck.

Why am I such a screw-up? We had had the perfect morning. Plenty of innocent Quidditch and a little flirting, which I admit isn't so innocent, but is pretty harmless really. And then I fuck it all up. Freaking hormones. Why could I have just not left it at that? _Because she's Katie. _My head tells me._ She's fun, beautiful, smart, a great chaser, hilarious, sweet, nice… _OK. I get the picture. She's my dream woman. But apart from the fact that she has a boyfriend, she's a friend and team mate, a someone you just shouldn't have feelings for.

And oh Merlin do I have feelings. And they are more than lust. Sure I know I want to take her against my bedpost every time she wears that tight singlet and little shorts at training, but I also know I want to sleep next to her every night. I want her to tell me all her secrets and fears and hopes and dreams and I want her to know mine. I want to be her first thought in the morning and the last before she goes to sleep. I know this because she is mine. It's now that I finally admit it to myself. I'm in love with Katie Bell. Totally storybook romance in love. I'd be her Prince Charming, her frog on a lilypad, hell, I'd be anything she wanted if I could call her mine for just one day.

And here I am, sitting naked, save for a manky old towel in my Captain's office, still dripping wet. I don't know what I'm going to do, I'll just have to wait until Fred and George unlock the door, because there is no way I'm going out there while Katie and I are stuck in here together, it's just going to be so awkward. I'd just rather avoid it, just so I can have some time to get my head together. Luckily, I leave clothes in here. I go to the cupboard, on the way igniting the logs waiting in the fireplace with my wand. Picking out a fitted black long sleeved shirt and sweatpants, I sit down in my chair and put my feet on the desk. From the outside I probably look the picture of relaxation, but on the inside I'm still screaming _SHIT!! _

There's a soft knock at the door. Unless the twins have released us (unlikely), it's Katie at the door. I don't particularly want to answer it, dreading what she will say to me, but what choice do I have? I cross the room and open the door.

'Hey Kates' I greet her quietly. 'Come in'

'It's freezing out there' She shivers, making her way over to the fireplace. 'I don't know what spell Fred and George put on that door, but it's sure sticking'

I sit on the couch. 'Listen.. Katie. I'm really sorry about before. I shouldn't have done that. I just got caught up in the moment'

For a moment I see a flash of disappointment cross her face, but I must be mistaken because the next second her face is alight with a smile.

'Oliver, it's ok. Really. You don't have to be sorry' She comes to sit next to me.

' No, I really do. Your boyfriend is Lee, one of my best friends. I've betrayed both of you. I don't know what either of us is going to tell him'

'Who cares? I'm no longer his concern' She says stiffly.

'What?' I'm quick to grab onto this before the subject changes. 'Are you saying…?'

'We broke up, yes. Today in fact' Katie is looking down at her knees.

'Oh man, I'm sorry Kates.' I'm not, inside I'm singing. 'Do you mind me asking why? '

'Lila Parksinson' Is the reply I receive.

No way. That girl is everywhere. My first clench so hard my whole body tenses up and I can feel that familiar vein twitching and pulsing.

'It was her, the first night back, wasn't it Katie?' I ask gently. 'She did that to you'

'Yes' Is the whispered reply. Katie turns her back to me. She picks up a cushion and sobs into it. 'Why does she have to do this to me? What did I ever do to her?'

I don't know what to say. I have no idea what kind of personal vendetta Lila has against Katie. I just take the sobbing girl in my arms, cradling her close, not knowing what else to do. I pull her to me, smoothing down her hair, running my hand up and down her back in a soothing way. I don't know what time it is that I pull us both off the couch for enough time to transfigure it into a large red bed with a gold quilt. I lie Katie gently on the bed and pull the covers up. I go to fetch some cushions to make a bed for myself on the floor, but she takes my hand.

'Where are you going, Oliver?'

'Just to get a blanket' I answer

'Will you sleep with me?' She asks.

I'm not sure how to take it.

'Just lie with me, ok? I don't want to be alone.'

So, even though it is barely midday, I slip under the covers with Katie. I feel tired, weary down to my bones. I glide my hand over her hip and around her waist as I mould my body to hers. Everything else can wait. I kiss her softly on the neck before falling asleep, our breathing in perfect time with each other.

**Now REVIEW bitches!!**


	8. Yeah! But no!

**Hello my lovelies! Sorry about the time its taken me to update, I've had a lot of assignments due. Hopefully this chapter will make up for it, though I doubt it, cos it's kind of setting up stuff for the next few chapters. So there you go, something to look forward to!!**

**Heyyo- you are my superstar**

**Pearls, Lilu, Cinny and Echis are the cool kids on the block. Everyone be like them and review!!**

**lovelove!**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**

* * *

**OLIVER'S POV**

I slowly run my hands up and down her naked body. I cup her shoulders and pull her back into my lips. The kiss starts out slow, but quickly escalates into a much deeper and passionate kiss as our tongues slide past each others lips and my hands slip down from her back as hers run up my chest, pulling me in tighter as they rest behind my neck, grinding her hips into mine. I steady her beneath me with one hand on her hip, the other sliding up her stomach and over her breast, the tip hardening at my touch. I grind my hips back into hers, the force of it makes her gasp.

'Oliver…'

I look down at her face and smile. This is Katie, my Katie. And then it starts to melt into the pillow and her body dissolves and slips like sand into the bed.

I sit up with a start. I was dreaming.

I thump the pillow, but then remember Katie. But she is gone. I don't know how long I slept for. There is a note pinned to the pillow.

_Hey Oliver,_

_Sorry for being such a trainwreck. Thanks for the snooze. See you at dinner._

_K. xo_

Hmm. Well, I guess I was asleep most of the day. But hey, I got a kiss AND a hug in the note. Pfft, so they aren't literal, but she didn't _have_ to write them. I tidy up quickly, extinguishing the fire and turning the bed back into a couch before heading to dinner.

The Great Hall is a total riot. People are everywhere, laughing, shouting. Guess it's Friday madness. I take a seat at the Gryffindor table, where (largely due to Fred and George) food is flying everywhere. It's not long before a glob of mashed potato slaps me in the forehead.

'Oi!' I shout, looking for whoever threw it. And I see her. Katie Bell is giggling at me, holding a spoon, reloaded with more potato. She flicks it at me and this time it gets me in the collarbone. Man, now she's really pissing herself. Only one way to retaliate. I grab a handful of coleslaw, as well as some meatballs covered in sauce, squidging them together to make a sort of snowball of food. Then I fling it at her. Quidditch so pays off.

Katie has sauce all over her face, meatball in her hair and coleslaw dripping off her chin. I can't help it. I burst out laughing. Right before I get meatballs in my own face. From Angelina. I grab some spaghetti and hurl it at her. And before I know it our whole team is covered in muck, we are rubbing it into each other's hair and faces, I'm stuffing mashed potato down George's back while Alicia pours gravy down mine. It's disgusting, it's messy, but it's so much fun and we are all laughing hard enough to burst.

'THAT'S ENOUGH GRYFFINDOR!'

With that we all stop in our tracks and look up, frozen. I stop, holding a stalk of asparagus in Katie's ear. At the same time Fred is holding the front of my shirt open, with a jug of pumpkin juice pouring down it. It makes a splattering noise as it hits the floor. It is the only sound in the Great Hall. You don't mess with McGonagall when she sounds like that.

'You seven. Out now.' She points us to the door.

We are still all frozen, the attention of the entire school now on us.

'I said now!' The fury is back in her voice and we all flee. As soon as we have closed the door behind us, the noise of hundreds of students gossiping strikes up. We all turn to look at each other. Angelina speaks up first.

'So, do we stay here and wait to be punished, or do we make a break for it and delay it for as long as possible?' She says with a glint of mischief in her eye. OK, more than a glint.

'Like you even have to ask' Fred grins, taking her hand in his. 'Let's make like trees and get the fuck out of here!' He pulls on her hand and drags her off at a run, the rest of us hot on their heels.

Four hours later, showered and dressed in clean clothes, we are called to McGonagall's office. She is not a happy camper by any means. She has us lined up, heads bowed to the carpet, hands clasped behind our backs, the very picture of apologetic schoolchildren.

'You have displayed immense disrespect today. ' She intones furiously. 'Disrespect for yourselves, your classmates, myself and Professor Dumbledore and Hogwarts, disrespect for the elves who prepared the food you so foolishly wasted, not to mention you have completely embarrassed me and the house of Gryffindor in front of the entire school. You all ought to be extremely ashamed of your behaviour. I assume you all know that you are to be punished. Each and everyone one of you. Never in my years have I seen such disgusting behaviour at the dinner table.'

We gulp. I just hope however much detention or whatever she heaps on us, that she will consider the team and leave us time for practice.

'You will have detention from Monday to Friday at 8pm every night for the next two weeks, starting Monday. None of you will be going to Hogsmeade this weekend either. Because there are so many of you, your punishment has been divided up among the teachers. Jordan, Weasley and Weasley, Mr Filch has requested that you serve your detention with him and that you meet him on the second floor in the East Wing.'

Lee, the wanker (I'm still pissed at him. He cheated on Katie, remember?), looks apprehensive, but Fred and George try and hide their grins. They'll most likely take the opportunity to test out some of their latest inventions on Filch. Though if he asked for them, there's no doubt he has something really nasty cooked up for them.

'Spinnet and Johnson, you will be with myself and will report to my office. There is no need to bring your wands. You will however be required to bring a toothbrush each'

Angelina and Alicia look at each other. You always have to bring your toothbrush when a teacher wants you to do muggle labour. And knowing McGonagall, she'll make them clean every one the schools display cabinets and awards to make them realise the noble history of the school they disrespected or some bullshit like that. I really don't envy them.

Oh fuck. I must be up next. Me and… Katie.

'Bell and Wood, you will be assisting Professor Hagrid. You are to report to his quarters. I would advise you however, to bring your wands.'

Katie and I gulp. Now I know who got the short end of the stick. Hagrid's a really decent guy, but just doesn't have much of a grasp on the concept of student safety.

'You are all dismissed' She waves us out of her office, still wearing her look of disapproval before slamming the door.

* * *

** OK kids, I know it's shorter than normal, but there will be lots of drama and stuff occuring in the next few chapters so I had to let them have a bit of fun.**

**Let me know what you think. and that means REVIEWing. wootwoot!!**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**


	9. A New Goal

**Hey Guys, it's been a little while since I last updated so I hope you can remember what's been going on. There is a little steamyness contained here, so hopefully that will make up for the boringness of the last chapter.**

**Thank you to all my reviewers!! Not that there are many of you. Angry glares all round!! GRRR!! I neglect my assignments for this... at least give me a little encouragement!**

**Heyyodude- Man you are my little inspiration. I'm so glad you like this. Seriously, if it wasn't for you I'd pack it in.**

**Annonymous Pringles Kid- Pringles kid cos you said my story was like pringles. I'm soooo glad you liked it! I'm honoured to be the cause of your sleep deprivation.**

**Everyone else-- a review would be appreciated!**

**But i still love you for reading this.**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**

* * *

**OLIVER'S POV**

Detention for two weeks. Monday to Friday. This leaves just about zero time for Quidditch practice. I'm back up in the common room, morosely pushing Quidditch models around the pitch I made. Well, detention will take up all night from 8pm onwards, and considering dinner is from 6:30-7:30 each night, there is pretty much no way we can practice at night. So that means dawn practices three days a week, plus all day Saturdays and a half day Sunday arvo.

I look down at my training schedule.

**Monday:** 5:30am-8am

**Wednesday**: 5:30am-8am

**Friday**: 5:30am-8am

**Saturday**: 8am-6pm

**Sunday**: 1-6pm

That's fairly lenient, I reflect. That gives everyone Tuesday and Thursday mornings for homework, as well as Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Perfect. Then after out detentions are served, we can really get cracking into some serious training. Seriously, when detention period is over, we will only have one week left before the game. And we're playing Slytherin. Not that my team isn't up to it, hell, we're the best in the school. Slytherin are just dirty bastard-coated bastards with dirty bastard fillings who play dirty, like the dirty bastards they are. The dirty bastards.

Probably about time to go give these schedules out to the team. I look over at them. They are all sitting near the main fire, piled on two couches, talking and messing around. Harry is with them for once. Actually, thinking about the fights Ron and Hermione have been having lately, it's no wonder he's hanging out with people a little more sane. OK, Fred and George aren't exactly what you'd call sane, but at least they aren't constantly at each other's throats.

I look at them a little longer. They are the best people I know. I think about our food fight this morning. It was just incredibly fun to do something so stupid and immature. And I loved watching Katie laugh. I watch her now.

Katie throws her head back, laughing at the twins' antics. She looks amazing, the fire bringing out the gold in her hair, her cheeks flushed from the warmth. There is nothing I want to do more than run over there and pick her up and swing her round, anything to keep her laughing and looking as perfect as she does in this moment.

But it can't last. She stops laughing eventually, and settles back into normal conversation with everyone. Anyway. I have training schedules to deliver. I stride over to the couches.

'Hey kids' I address everyone.

'Good Evening, Captain Wood' Alicia and Angelina chorus in a childlike singsong.

'Right. Well, here are your new training schedules for the next two weeks.' I announce, passing them out.

'Oliver!' Alicia exclaims. 'What is this?! When are we going to have time for an actual life? Oh, and homework and all that crap as well?'

'Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings of course.' I reply. Isn't it obvious? 'Oh, and Saturday night'

'This is so insane Oliver' Harry speaks up.

'Hey, you'll be fine Harry. You don't have any massive exams to study for, or detention every weeknight.' Angelina reassures him. 'Unlike us, yourself included, Oliver' She glares at me. 'How the hell are you going to plan and attend all these trainings, as well as detention and study for your NEWTS? They are only slightly important!'

'Look, it's only for two weeks' I try to calm her down. 'Then it's only another week til the match and I'll relax a little. Anyway, I'm sure I can get McGonagall to give us only a week of detention or something. She wants Gryffindor to win as much as I do'

Katie snorts. 'Almost'

Ouch… man. Coming from Katie that hurts a little. I mean, I know it's true and it wouldn't be bad coming from anyone else, but I want her to think I am super awesome all the time.

'This isn't changing. I will be seeing you all on the pitch, changed and in the air by 8am tomorrow morning. No exceptions.' I use my Captain's voice, shutting up any further objections. Fred and George even salute me, before I turn and walk towards the stairs. As I pause to gather up my Quidditch models, I can hear my team bitching loudly about the new training program already.

* * *

I'm so freezing. God, Wood. I conveniently forgot that while I was making my team train in the bloody cold wind, (which only gets worse the higher up you go) I was also making myself train. Damn, shit, piss, fuck, turdlick, arsewank, goatshag. I'm so cold I can't even swear well. I decide to make the call and direct my team to the ground at only 12pm.

'Look guys' I say, once we are all huddled together on the ground. 'It's bloody freezing, we just put in an excellent amount of effort in the last 4 hours and it's time for lunch. I'll make it a long one, so meet back in the locker rooms at one for conditioning training'

This is met with first looks of relief at the mention of lunch, then groans of disappointment.

'Conditioning? Seriously, Wood.' Fred complains.

I might have gone soft on the air training, but while we have a perfectly good indoor training room, I'll use it.

'Yes, Weasley, conditioning. That means a long hard afternoon of push ups, sit ups, crunches, weights, laps and a lot of muscular pain. Understood?' I fold my arms and look each of them in the eye. They all look down and nod. 'Good. See you in an hour.'

Later that night, I sneak down to the common room after everyone has gone to bed. I hid all my pain pretty well this afternoon, but now all I want to do is warm up my muscles by the fire and stretch out the soreness. Padding over to the main fire, lie on my back next to it, arms out by my sides above my head, knees bent upwards. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and relax all my muscles, trying to release all the tension built up in my body. I let the heat from the fire wash over me and let my mind wander.

Sure enough, the first thing that comes to mind is Katie. Her face, her laugh. The sweat shining on her back today at training. Reminds me of the locker room. Mmm… we still haven't talked about that. True, it was only yesterday, but considering we were together all training we should have had some opportunity to talk. I wonder if it meant anything to her. Because it sure as hell meant something to me. I want to kiss her anytime I want. Not just some stolen secret kiss in the locker rooms. I want her to be mine. And callous as it sounds, now Lee is out of the picture, she's fair game. And I make up my mind right then. Quidditch has always been my only goal, but now another one is right up there next to it. Make Katie Bell mine.

'Oliver?'

Speak of the devil. I open my eyes and sit up.

'Katie. What are you doing down here? It's 1am' I ask. God, she looks cute in her white singlet and loose red pyjama pants.

'Couldn't sleep. Besides, my shoulders are killing me. I thought I could use the fire to help relax them' She shrugs, taking a seat next to me.

I see an opportunity to get a little closer to my goal arise. I move behind her.

'I'll give you a massage. Lie down' Before she can protest, I gently place my hands on her shoulders and guide her onto her stomach. I then straddle her back and begin to gently rub her shoulders. I dig my thumbs in a little, making slow, smooth circles.

'Mmm… Oliver… that's amazing' She sighs. I wish I was doing something else to make her sigh like that. But it does make me a little more daring. I slip the straps of her singlet off her shoulders and continue massaging her shoulders and down her spine. Her bare skin feels amazing under my hands, muscles gliding over her frame as I manipulate her body. It makes her sigh again.

'Mm..mmm. Where did you learn this Oliver?' She asks, not opening her eyes.

'Secret. But you do know you owe me one now, don't you?' I tease, running my fingers lightly over the back of her neck, noticing her sudden intake of breath at the new sensation.

'Your muscles don't hurt… You're the captain. My invincible captain.'

I like the sound of that. My Invincible Captain.

'Sorry. Hate to ruin my image, but I'm human like the rest of you' I say as I knead her shoulders. Suddenly she shifts underneath me and turns to face me.

'I'm shattered' She smiles. 'Oliver… about what happened in the locker rooms…'

'It's OK, I won't tell anyone about it.' I assure her. 'And I'm really incredibly sorry I did it. I thought you were with Lee at the time and I can't believe I did something like that to you and a good mate of mine. It's inexcusable. I don't know why you don't hate me, but I'm glad you don't'

'No, Oliver, that's not what I'm trying to say' She wriggles out from under me and sits facing me. 'I wanted to say that I'm sorry for kissing you back'

'You are?' This is not good news.

'Yeah, I must come off like some stupid girl on the rebound using whoever is there to get back at Lee and get over him. So if anyone should be sorry, it's me'

'I don't think that at all. But I have changed my mind. I'm not sorry.'

'You're not?'

'No. Because then I would have to be sorry for this as well.' With that, I lean in and take her lips in mine.

Katie can't be that sorry because she is kissing me back. More than that, she is taking control. Not breaking our kiss, which is now more than a simple meeting of lips, our tongues are sliding over each other and lips continually making new contact, she slides her hands under my shirt, up and over my abs and chest, over my shoulders, pulling it off.

I pull her into me, into my lap. The momentum of this sends us falling back onto the floor, gently though. I deepen the kiss further and pull her tightly into me, wrapping my arms around her waist and back. Katie has other ideas, and sits up, straddling me.

She bends over for a second, kissing me briefly before letting her lips trail down over my jaw and along my neck. I can't how amazing it feels, let alone this is happening at all. I just let myself fall into her touch. But all too quickly it's gone. Katie is sitting up again, her hands trace over my chest and down my hips onto her thighs and up to her own hips, to the hem of her singlet.

Crossing her arms, she takes hold of it and pulls it off, revealing a perfect flat stomach, flared hips and little waist, as well as curves hidden beneath a white crop top. They may be hidden, but the outline and curve of her breasts are explicit through the tight material. Oh god are they explicit. But I barely have time to exhale before she lays back on top of me, kissing me with even more passion than before.

I decided it's time to man up and take control. I wrap my arms around her and flip her so that I am on top, letting my lips and tongue tease a path over her jawline and up to her earlobe. I bite it softly and kiss her neck just below her ear.

'Oliver…'

I'm not stopping this time though. I let my lips continue their exploration, down her neck, over her throat. And don't think I have let my hands keep still this entire time either. They are doing explorations of their own, gliding over her hips and onto the exposed skin of her back and stomach. Her skin is so smooth and warm. This is like heaven in human form. I let my mouth travel lower, kissing the top of her right breast, just above the material of her crop top. This gets another response.

'Oh God..' She breathes.

I flick my tongue over the same spot, loving how she arches her back up into me, her hand pressed tightly into my shoulder, the other one hard on the back of my neck.

Then a noise from the other side of the couch makes me stop dead. I sit up quickly, pulling Katie with me.

'Oliv-' She starts to say, but I clap my hand over her mouth and point over the couch. I stand slowly, keeping crouched over. Holy fuck! It's Percy! I had forgotten his night rounds. Technically speaking, as Head Boy, he isn't actually required to do them, but apparently thinks it is a necessary duty all the same. I just think he likes to watch the girls sleep.

Katie is still waiting for an explanation though. I mouth the word 'Percy' at her and she silently says 'Holy fuck' back. There is no way either of us want to be caught. Katie quickly slips her singlet on. Percy begins to head up the stairs to the girls dorms. Since he is Head Boy, he has the priviledge of being allowed up there. I think about this for a second. No wonder they picked Percy, he's the least likely to get any! But Katie obviously can't go up there without being caught. Not pausing to think about it further, I take Katie's hand in mine and pull her up to my room, one of the only places Percy won't look.

* * *

**oooooh!! Ollie got a bit of action! Anyway... tell me if you liked it, tell me if you didnt. Tell me WHY!!**

**So go on, just hit it. You know, the blue button right next to 'submit review' . Go on. You know you want to. It'll give me more motivation to update faster!**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**


	10. How It Should Be

**Hello my lovelies!**

**I actually really enjoyed writing this one, hope you guys like it too! Thank you to my beautiful reviewers, in particular my little baby Heyyo, i wrote this one thinking of you (yes, I am in love with you).**

**Anyway, enough crap from me (oh yeah and Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not my work. Oliver's sexiness however... no. still not mine. Sigh)**

**Enjoy and review!**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**

* * *

OLIVER'S POV

I pull Katie up the stairs with me and into my room, closing the door quickly behind me and leaning against it.

'That was nearly very awkward' I whisper to Katie. I realise that when I pulled her in after me, I didn't let go of her hand, and she is standing very close to me. Not that I mind. She doesn't either. She just places her hands on the back of my neck and smiles wickedly, the kind of smile a guy is given right before he gets lucky. I like that smile.

Slowly, she raises herself up on her toes before giving me a light peck on the lips, before pulling my head down quickly for a searing kiss, tongue sliding along my bottom lip before taking it in her teeth and tugging slightly. Fuck, that's amazing. I always rated myself highly in bed, but this girl is something else. And we hadn't even got to bed yet!

I break contact with her momentarily to scoop her up and place her on the bed, flipping myself on top. I slide my hand under her singlet and let my mouth return to where it left off, below her collarbone and just above her breast. Her fingers are wound tight in her hair, her chest rising and falling as her mouth sighs my name as my lips and tongue tease a path across the tops of her breasts, licking, sucking and occasionally nipping at her smooth flesh.

Suddenly, it seems as though Katie can't take the teasing anymore, and pulls my face strongly back to hers, switching positions with me at the same time. Without breaking our raw, passionate kiss, she practically rips my shirt off along with her own, crop top going with it. I swallow. I sit up, wrapping my arms around her, pulling her up so she is sitting on my lap, facing me, legs wrapped around my hips.

I let my eyes travel slowly downwards. Smooth soft skin covers the rise of her clavicle and dips down where they meet, travelling down her sternum, creating the valley between small but perfect rounded breasts with rose pink nipples, before continuing down the smooth plane of her stomach with its cute indentation above her bellybutton above the curves of her hips. This girl is perfect. And she is sitting right in front of me. Waiting for me to do something. I lift my head to look directly into her face. It's not the expression I was hoping to see.

She's biting her lip, and instead of looking at my face, she's looking at the blanket to her right. There is no way she is relaxed, her hands are balled into tight fists around my sheet. I know I can't do this. It's obviously not what she wants. I lift her gently off my lap, and search around for her top on the floor. I find it and turn to face Katie. She is looking at me insecurely, the sheet pulled up to cover herself.

'Arms up, Kates' I whisper. She complies and lets me slip the shirt over her head. I kiss her on the forehead and pull her into a hug.

'What's wrong with me?' She whispers into my neck.

I sigh. 'Nothing Kate. Nothing at all. You just need to sleep, OK? I'll be over there on the couch if you need me'

I lie her down and pull the blanket up, kissing her on the forehead again. 'Goodnight, Katie'

'Oliver?'

'Yes?'

'What does this mean?'

'We'll talk about it in the morning, OK?' I close the curtains and make my way to the couch, pulling a blanket out of the closet before I lie down. There is no way I'm going to be getting any sleep tonight. I'm going to be way too busy beating myself up about what a complete arsehole I've been. Firstly, I took advantage of her, then I dragged her up here, and now I've completely backed off and left her alone in my bed. She is going to think that I rejected her and that it's some fatal flaw in her body. Oh God, her body.

_Shut the fuck up, Wood_. My head tells me. _Not the time, you prick. _I am a prick. An utter wanker. _Yes, Wood, you are a fine example of an absolute fuck up. _I can't stay here with my thoughts. I have to get out of here. I go check on Katie, trying to surreptitiously peek through the curtains. Surprisingly, she is out like a light. So, like the coward I am, I creep out of my room.

I tread softly through the castle. Bloody stone everywhere means everything echoes. I think in time with my footsteps.

_You._

_Are._

_A._

_Fuck._

_Up._

_You._

_De._

_Serve._

_To. _

_Be._

_A._

_Flobber._

_Worm._

I kind of don't even care if I get caught. It would be nice to be punished. Shit. Punishment. My detention with Katie starts this week. I don't know what I'm going to tell her. My experience with girls tells me that she will take on all the blame for what happened and think there is something terribly wrong with her. I have no idea how I'm going to make her see that it was my fault. Women's insecurities always get in the way of making them believe something good about themselves.

Heading outside, I find that it is pouring with rain, and I'm soaked in seconds. I finally reach the Quidditch Pitch, making my way into the locker rooms to get my broom. It's a freezing cold night, the kind where the wind just seeps through your clothing and gets you right in your bones, no matter how many layers you put on. And I was stupid enough to still only be wearing my sweatpants, no shirt and a thin hoodie._ Not only are you a social retard, you are rationally incompetent._ I berate myself some more.

Thank God for the locker rooms. They may not be heated, but at least they are enclosed. I head over to my locker, intending to get out a clean shirt and jacket well as my broom. I figure nothing is going to make me feel better right now, but flying will come the closest. Fiddling with the catch on the locker, I don't hear the footsteps behind me, all I feel is the force that spins me around and slams my back up against the locker. I focus my eyes, and find a glittering black pair staring back into my own.

'Good evening, Oliver' Her voice drawls maliciously, hands holding my forearms against the cold metal in a vice-like grip. How the hell did Lila get so strong?

'What do you want, Parkinson?' I snarl.

'Ollie, I just want you' She opens her eyes wide in mock-innocence.

'Sure. That's why you're hanging out in the Gryffindor locker room. At 2am.' What is this bitch up to? I want to leave, but I also want to find out what she's doing here. If she was here waiting for one of my teammates, let alone Katie, so help me God, the things I wouldn't hesitate to do to her.

'I wasn't waiting here. I followed you. I've missed you Ollie.'

'Bullshit you have. Tell me what you really want or I'm out of here' I pull my arms forcefully out of hers and push her back. By the way she gasps and grabs her wrists I can see I've hurt her, but I don't care. She's pushing me right now and I don't know if I can be too honourable towards her.

She rights herself quickly, and grabs for my arm again. She is gentler this time, and pulls me towards the bench. I give in and let her guide me.

'Oliver, it's true. I have missed you. All those years in France… wishing I could come back and see you, make things right between us. You were my only friend, Oliver'

It's tempting to believe her. But then…

'We were never really friends. Our parents were.' I say coldly.

'But we can be friends now, can't we?' She sounds genuine, but I still can't bring myself to trust her. I think of what she did to Katie. And to Tobias. And who knows how many countless others. Lila destroys things. Things being people's lives. And when she destroys the lives of those I love, I get fired up.

'Tobias was my friend. Look what happened to him. Katie is my friend too, and look what you did to her. You just keep on hurting my friends. What makes you think I would ever want to mean anything to you?' I drop my voice to dangerously low level.

'Stay the fuck away from me, Lila! I hate you. I hate everything about you. You are a destroyer. You poison everything you touch.' I lean closer in, putting my face slightly higher than hers, forcing her to look up at me. I speak, practically spitting in her eyes.

'So you can take your fucking poison hands and poisonous mind away from everyone and everything I love. Get the fuck out of here; get the fuck out of this room, out of Hogwarts and out of Britain altogether. You are fucking scum and I never, ever, want to see you again'

With that I turn to leave, but she grabs at my arm, scratching long red scores with her fingernails.

'Oliver!' She is practically screaming. I push her off again, none too gently, not even watching her ungraceful fall to the cold floor. Hands grab my ankles and I pitch forward, face first onto the stone, only just putting my arms out in time to catch me. Lila is on top of me, clawing first at my chest and neck, pulling my hoodie off, her hands in my hair and pressing down into my face as I try to throw her off. She isn't heavy, but she is strong, the same icy cold strength from before holding me down. She lowers to her mouth to mine, trying to gain entrance. I keep my lips firmly closed, even though she is almost bruising us both with the pressure. Suddenly she sits up, pulling her cloak off, revealing that she has been wearing nothing beneath it. She is all over me again, before I can even say anything. I try and turn my head away from hers, but she is holding me so tightly with her inhuman strength I can't even seem to do that.

'Oliver?' A voice at the door makes Lila stop and sit up, letting me sit up too. Fuck. Oh fuck.

The figure standing in the doorway drops their broom and runs. Lila stands up, looking satisfied, pulling her cloak back around her shoulders.

'You'll come around.' She smirks, once again every bit the confident bitch I know her to be, and walks out the back entrance.

I don't waste any more time. I run out of the locker rooms and onto the middle of the Quidditch Pitch. It's pouring, deathly cold and I can't see a thing.

'KATIE!' I shout.

* * *

**aaah... cliffhanger...**

**i'll update soon. well soonish. but i'll be more motivated if there are reviews, hint hint.**

**thanks for reading all the same kids! love you all long time!**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**


	11. Are you CEREAL?

**HELLO MY LOVELIES!**

**I'm sorry it's been ages since I have updated- but exams are now over and holidays are sooo on! oh and I turned 19. yay me!**

**But anyway, on with the story..**

**and please review!!**

**and i love heyyodude for prompting me into finishing this chapter. I love that kid!**

**but seriously, actually on with the story...**

**-CrazyNakedFeet **

* * *

**KATIE'S POV**

Skin on skin. Lips on lips. Hands roaming. Bodies entangled.

I can't get the picture out of my head. Oliver Wood and Lila Parkinson, together on the locker room floor.

The rain drips through the cracks of the benches above my head, runs down my back and pools inside my jeans, adding to the already huge wet patch I have created beneath the stands of the pitch.

My head is telling me to _get up, Bell, you are soaking wet in freezing cold air, get inside. _My body isn't going to obey though. Some idiotic part of me just keeps me sitting here in the frigid night wind, replaying over and over in my mind what I saw an hour ago with my eyes.

I shouldn't care. It's not like we were together. Oliver has no obligations towards me. I mean, I pretty much threw myself at him a few hours ago, then he rejected me and ran off down here to someone he obviously finds more appealing. I shouldn't hate him. I don't hate him. I mean to be honest with myself, I was only fooling around with him because I liked the attention. And yeah, then I freaked out a little when I realised I was about to sleep with someone I don't really have feelings for, who was just a great kisser. Fuck. I did the same thing to Oliver as I did to Lee. I'm seeing a pattern. Obviously I am the fucktard here, not any of the boys I get with.

I think about this for a second. It's been pretty much the same with every guy I've gotten involved with. They were good looking and good to me, but for some reason I could just never like them as much as they liked me. But I liked the attention so much and lead them on so they stuck around until it reached a point when I had to commit on more than a physical level. If I even let them get that far.

But here I am, still sitting here, mentally screaming every swear word I know. And there are a lot. Thanks Gred and Forge. But screw it, enough sitting here and feeling sorry for myself.

Oliver Wood can go to fucking hell and take his whore with him. I refuse to care. I set my jaw. Fuck him. He's just another man, just like Lee. Another fucking man with no fucking brain, just a dick for a moral compass. I will conveniently ignore the fact that I don't exactly have a steady compass either. I get up, not bothering to wring my hair or clothes out; I'm only going to have to walk through the rain to get back up to the castle.

I begin to stride across the pitch to fetch my broom, even if Wood and Parkinson are still there going at it, I'm not leaving my broom behind. The rain pelts me; thunder loud in my ears as lightening illuminates the pitch intermittently. I find the door to the locker rooms open and my broom where I left it. Picking it up, I turn to leave. I feel a hand on my shoulder.

'Katie' Oliver is behind me, just as soaked as I am.

'Hi Oliver' I'm not directly hostile, but neither am I welcoming. I honestly just want to get my broom and go get warm.

'About before, I-'

I cut him off. 'Seriously, it's fine. Whatever you want to do with your private time is up to you. I just came for my broom'

"Kates, come on, don't do this. Let me explain' He pleads.

Now he's done it. He had to go ahead and use my nickname. Which is reserved for my closest friends and family only. It's an exclusive right to call me by anything other than Bell or Katie and Wood just doesn't sit in that circle. Not now anyway . Fuck it. I'll get fired up if I want to.

I wrench his hand off my shoulder and raise my voice angrily. 'You do not get to call me that, Wood. From now on I'm Bell, you're Wood and that's the end. See you at training.' I feel like raining hell on him, but I just can't be bothered summoning the energy. Instead, I stomp over to my broom, pick it up and march past Wood, not even bothering to look at him.

The next morning, after training (a ridiculous waste of time, most of the team was half asleep, Harry caught the snitch only twice and Wood spent the entire time trying to corner me so he could explain himself) I make a decision. I'm not going to let the boys pick me from now on. I'm going to go after them, and there is no way I'm picking yet another cute, nice, boring boy who basically wants a second mother he can screw without it being illegal. I figure if I'm the one doing the choosing, then I have more chance of actually liking them, instead of just liking kissing them. Although I'm definitely not ruling out snogging.

I finish brushing my teeth in the bathroom, smooth my uniform then head back into the dorm to grab my bag. Unfortunately some unruly force of nature (otherwise known as Angelina and Alicia) yank me off my feet and onto one of the beds.

'Ooooh someone had a rather late night last night!' Angelina squeals. They are both giggling like crazy and bouncing up and down.

'Come on, out with it!' Alicia slaps my arm softly.

'Guys, I wasn't with anyone really'

'SHE LIES!' Angelina shouts. 'To her best friends, the dirty bitch lies! The tragic consequences of young love!'

'Aaah… There is just not enough love to go around!' Alicia laments. 'She used to love us, but now we have been replaced!'

'Sure' I reply. 'As opposed to lying to yourself… about a certain Mr Weasley in particular… sound familiar, Ange?

She pouts at this. 'I told you, I don't like him like that, I just think he's goodlooking.'

'Which is exactly why you guys are going to Hogsmeade together' I retort

'We aren't going anymore, remember?' Alicia interjects. 'We are still being punished for our food fight. We all have detentions tonight.'

Damn. I forgot about that. Great. Two weeks with Wood, Hagrid and whatever foul blood-sucking beast is his new best friend.

'Aww, man! McGongall will make us polish all the cutlery or something. The muggle way' Angelina whinges. 'But all personal gripes aside, Kates still hasn't told us about her midnight date last night'

'Well… you can't tell ANYONE' I resign myself to the fact I will eventually have to tell them and just decide to get it over with.

'We'll try our very best' Alicia says.

I glare at her.

'Sorry. You know we won't' She adds hastily.

'Well, basically, after I found out Lee was cheating on me, I guess I went all rebound like, so when Wood made a pass at me-'

'OLIVER WOOD?' The girls shriek.

'Yes, our Quidditch Captain Oliver Wood. Anyway, we-'

'OH MY GOD!' Angelina has her hands to her heart. 'That man is fiiiiiiiine! AND the most eligible bachelor in Hogwarts! I can't BELIEVE you have been keeping this from us!'

'Only for a day' I remind her. 'Besides, he's not THAT hot. What's he got going for him apart from the sexy Scottish accent? Which I remind you ladies, he only has by default'

'How about the chiseled abs, hard pecs, toned biceps, gorgeous chocolate eyes, and pretty much a million other things' Alicia looks at me incredulously. 'Not that hot?!'

'Well ANYWAY' I'm trying to get back on track here, but both my idiotic best friends appear to be drooling. 'He made a pass at me, I went with it, he changed his mind and long story short I found him doing the horizontal mambo with Lila Parkinson.'

'THAT BITCH!'

'THAT BASTARD!'

'WE'LL KILL THEM!'

The girls are livid, I can tell.

'Seriously, Kates, how do you want them punished?' Angelina lays a supportive hand on my arm. 'We do have some influence on the Weasley twins, we can make their lives a living hell.'

'Guys, seriously, it's not that a big a deal. I just want to forget about it'

'Are you CEREAL?' Alicia can't believe it. 'First he rejects you, then goes off with the same girl Lee cheated on you with? Honey, you are in dire need of some revenge or something. Plus I wouldn't mind getting my hands on that bitch myself.'

'THAT BITCH!'

'THAT BASTARD!'

'HOW DARE HE!'

'I'LL RIP HER FUCKING FACE OFF!'

They jump right on back into their cursing of Wood and Parkinson, and don't stop until we are halfway to breakfast, by this point, I've had enough.

I turn to face them, forcing them to stop walking. 'Can we PLEASE not talk about this any longer?'

Their faces fall.

'But Kates! The man is an arsehole!' Alicia looks disappointed she no longer has an excuse to swear.

'Well not really, I mean, we aren't going out or anything. It's just something stupid that happened. And remember, you promised not to tell anyone. AND you can't be anything other than polite to Wood. And you can just treat Parkinson like the lameass she is. By ignoring her, OK?'

My friends look disappointed, but concede.

'Fine, we agree. ' Angelina says. 'But we WILL take out our rage on Wood at training. With Quaffles. He can't do anything about it then!'

'Although we would much rather shove his beloved playbook up his deceitful, if gorgeous, but mainly deceitful arse! Actually, maybe his Tranfiguration book. That one is heavy and thick as.' Alicia adds.

It is as she says this, I remember something. 'Oh shit! I left my potions book upstairs! I better go back at get it. You know what Snape's like.'

'We'll see you down there' Alicia and Angelina head off, while I have to back track to go get my bloody book. I'm so annoyed as I stomp on back the way I came that I keep my head down and don't see someone come around the corner until I have already slammed into them.

Actually, I don't see them until I am lying very awkwardly on someone's chest, my face less than an inch away from theirs. _Mm, blue eyes. _

'Do you mind?' The guy I am lying on says.

'Sorry.' It's a bit embarrassing as I scrabble to get off him and pick up my books as well as his, shoving mine roughly into my bag and holding his out to his.

'Whatever, Bell'

'You know my name?'

'Yeah, Katie Bell, famous Gryffindor chaser. Everyone knows who the Quidditch players are. Duh'

Damn. I had to pick the one time I am standing in front of a hot guy to look like a retard. He looks pretty familiar. But I'm sure I'd remember if I'd seen him before. And yes, I said hot. Well, only if you go for dark brown hair, deep blue eyes and rugged stubble. Not to mention that I can see even through his robes that he's built well. A bit skinny maybe, but built. Wait. Robes. Slytherin robes. No wonder he's kind of rude.

'Right. Sorry again…'

'Flint. Danny Flint'

So he's a Flint. This should make me want to get the fuck out of here, considering what Marcus Flint pulled on me, but my hormones are making me stay put.

'Would that be any relation to Marcus Flint?'

'Twin actually. Obviously fraternal'

Obviously.

'Look Bell, can I have my books back?'

'Oh… sure' I hold them out and he grabs them out of my hands, stuffing them in his bag.

'Next time, watch where you're going. I can't guarantee I'll break your fall again' He winks and causally walks off, hands in his pockets.

I lean against the wall. _I burn, I pine, I perish!_ He's so hot. And unfortunately Marcus Flint's twin brother. But hey, you can't choose your family. But also, more unfortunately, he's a Slytherin, which for a Gryffindor especially is completely in the no-go zone. Not even friendship is acceptable. Seriously, all great clashes in the British wizarding world (after the foundation of Hogwarts that is) have been between Gryffindors and Slytherins. Godric and Salazaar all the way through to Harry and you-Know-Who.

But anyway, I console myself as I hurry to the dorm so I can get my book and have breakfast in time to make it to Potions, I can still look. And drool. And fantasise. Which I might just do during my detention tonight in order to get my mind off gutting deer to feed to Hagrid's pet or whatever he has us doing. Uggh detention. That just brings my mind back to the fact that I will be forced to spend a few hours in the company of Wood.

Joy.

* * *

**Next chapter will be up soon!**

**Let me know what you think of Danny!**

**Love you all**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**

**NOW REVIEW GODDAMNIT!**


	12. Fraternising

**Sorry it's been so long with this update! A whole month! Uni holidays are great... i thought i'd have plenty of time... then a bunch of stuff came up (read: drinking and partying) and I didn't have any study to put off doing, so I got slack.**

**However, I'm back into classes soon, so expect more updates!**

**Reviews would be awesome too, tell me what you think about Danny and all that.**

**Much love to Heyyodude for the effort she puts into reviewing :-)**

**Hope this chapter makes it worth the wait!**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**

* * *

So I made it to Potions (thankfully on time, a little early even) and managed to scoff down a couple of piece of toast on the way that Alicia was thoughtful enough to bring me. The rest of the day passed pretty uneventfully. And it passed quickly too. It's weird that when you don't want something to happen, it happens all the sooner. So now here I am, wondering how to protect myself best against Hagrid's detention. Not to mention Wood. I just hope whatever we have to do means he won't get the chance to try and talk to me. I'm just so not interested in hearing some lame vaguely insincere speech about how he wasn't trying to hurt me, and it just happened and he's sorry and we can still be friends and I'm so great some guy is going to fall head-over-heels for me one day soon and blah blah blah. Really not interested in hearing that.

But yes. Detention preparations. Looks like its going to be hiking boots, my toughest pair of jeans, thickest jacket and dragonhide Quidditch gloves. Not very pretty, but then again I'm not exactly out to impress anyone. I slip my wand down my sleeve, through the little piece of elastic my mother sewed into all my clothes. (Embarrassing, but useful. My mother uses sleeves like pockets. Tissues, mints, money, umbrella, you name it, you can find it in her sleeves. Weird.)

Heading through the common room, I see Wood already standing by the portrait door. I ignore him and walk straight past through the exit and immediately begin to stride as fast as I can away from the tower towards Hagrid's hut. Except my legs are a lot shorter than an 18 year old man's are and he catches up ridiculously quickly.

'Katie, come on, talk to me' He pleads, walking backwards so he can look me in the eye, which makes it pretty hard for me to continue ignoring him.

'It's Bell' I say flatly.

'Katie-'

'Bell' I cut him off.

'Bell. Fine. We need to talk, ok? You can't just keep ignoring me like this. We're teammates and detention partners. And friends'

'We were'

'Would you just let me explain?'

'Would you just turn around and walk like a normal person?'

'Not until you agree to talk to me properly'

'Well I hope you don't become brain damaged enough to affect your Quidditch abilities'

'What are you tal-' Wood is cut off as he hits his head sharply on the arm of a statue of Yorrick the Shameful, falling on his arse.

For a moment I consider waiting for him to get up, then I remember I am trying not to be late for attention, and I am trying to avoid having any sort of serious conversation- sod that, _any_ -sort of conversation with my captain. So I don't even stop walking and make my own way to the grounds where Hagrid is waiting outside his place, hairy brown coat on like an extension of his beard, sack over one shoulder and a crossbow over the other. I instantly decide that this detention has zero chance of being easy.

'Evenin' Katie' He greets me warmly, a contrast to the icy cold of the wind that blows through my clothes. So much for trying to be practical.

'Hi Professor Hagrid' I reply, stamping my feet in a futile attempt to get warmer.

'Right, we just gotta wait fer Wood, then we'll be off' Hagrid says. 'Ah, there 'e is. Hurry up Wood! We don't got all night!'

Wood jogs the last twenty metres towards us, giving me a slightly pissed off look. Hey, I wasn't the one walking recklessly. This IS a magical building. Sometimes walking can be a health hazard.

'Evening Hagrid ' Wood nods.

'No sense beating aroun' the bush now, eh? Follow me' Hagrid gestures, and turns, heading in the direction I had expected, towards the Forbidden Forest. Wood slides a sideways glance at me, just as I am turning to do the same to him, but I snap my eyes back to Hagrid's fast paced figure and run after him, avoiding not only contact with Wood, but also avoiding getting left behind. When your legs are as long as Hagrid's are, you walk _fast_.

We walk into the Forbidden Forest, single file. First Hagrid, then me, then Wood. No words were spoken as we walked. However, just because we weren't making any noise, didn't mean the forest wasn't. Wands drawn, tips alight, we nervously follow Hagrid with his crossbow, having to jog every few steps in order to keep up as twigs snap and owls hoot all around us. Further away, a wolf howls, making me keep as close to Hagrid as possible without stepping on his heels.

Suddenly, Hagrid stops. As we walk around to face him, we realise that we are in an empty clearing. Or seemingly empty anyway. It may not appear to be full of anything we could see, but it was certainly full of sound.

'Lovely sigh, ain't they?' Hagrid is beaming at what appears to be nothing. Wood tries to catch my eye, presumably trying to share one of those 'oh-god-we're-in –this-together-stuck-with-him' kind of looks, but I stubbornly keep staring forwards at nothing.

'Um, what are lovely, Hagrid?' Wood asks.

'Ah, that' s right, yeh probably can't see 'em, can yeh?' Hagrid replies. 'Guess you two have never seen anyone cark it then, have yeh?'

'Cark it?' Wood looks perplexed.

'Yeh know. Cark it, croak, kick the bucket, die' Hagrid explains. 'Good thing too. But now Katie, go on and prove yerself as one o' me best students and tell Wood 'ere what magical beasts can be seen only be those who have witnessed death?'

'That would be Thestrals, Professor' I reply with what I know is the correct answer. 'Apparently they are reminiscent of carnivorous winged horses, although I can't really be sure as I can't see them either.'

'An' I reckon I got the only tame herd in Britain, if not the world' Hagrid says proudly. 'On'y bit is, while I got 'em pulling the Hogwarts coaches alright, I want-'

'The coaches?' I ask, thinking back to the terrible humiliation I suffered at the beginning of term. If I had known there were Thestrals pulling them, I would definitely have taken a seat on one of them, rather than share the coach with the Slytherins I did.

'Yes, Katie, the coaches. Now, as I was sayin', I want to train 'em up as flying mounts. I had a bit o' a problem though, I'm too big and 'eavy for these lot. Then you kids got detention and boom! lucky fer me, I got meself two o' Hogwarts' best flyers at me disposal.'

As Hagrid finished speaking, I put the pieces together in my head and came out with the unpleasant notion that he wanted us to somehow mount creatures we couldn't see and, presuming we managed that, get them to fly and land safely. Assuming they didn't take any dislike to us.

'Are you serious?!' Wood had obviously had similar thoughts to me. 'Professor, no offence, but that's insane. What if it throws out our broom training?!'

Ah. Obviously. This is Oliver Wood. Not a rational person, concerned with safety, but a Quidditch-obsessed swine merely ridiculously focused on winning the Quidditch Cup.

'It's only fer two weeks, Wood. Besides, this is detention, it's not meant to accommodate yer.' Hagrid knocks back Wood's concerns, leaving me without any hope of getting mine noticed either. Anyway, yer won't be mountin' em fer a while yet. Tonight yer job is to hand feed 'em, gain their trust.'

Hagrid pulls the sack he has been carrying open, and to our disgust, slops raw hunks of meat into our hands, slippery with blood and membrane.

'There yer go' He says cheerfully, clearly mistake the look of astonished horror on our faces for awe.

'Um, Professor?' I ask. 'What do you want us t-'

My question is cut short as my left arm in tugged upwards as something invisible pulls on the meat in it. I let it go, hearing sickening sounding slurps and chewing sounds from just above my head. I feel wetness on my cheek, sliding down my neck, and putting my hand to it, I see it is a disgusting mixture of sticky blood and saliva.

Wood laughs at me trying to wipe the mess off my face, which is burning hotly with embarrassment and revultion, when it is my turn to laugh as his whole hand suddenly disappears and reappears, sans meat but covered in Thestral spit.

'You were saying, Wood?' I smirk at him.

'Arigh' now, focus on yer Thestrals.' Hagrid says. 'Try an' get one to let yer pat it'

Taking more meat out of the sack, Wood and I start engaging in a weird sort of dance, walking around the clearing, occasionally jumping as meat is snatched out of our hands, or we bump into one of the beasts. After two hours however, we finally have run out of meat, and seem to have made some progress, if not much. The Thestrals are a bit more gentle taking the meat from us, and don't spit on us quite as much, although as we make our way back through the forest, we are covered in the goop and reek of raw meat. Not a good smell if we don't want to be attracting other, more nasty, inhabitants of the Forbidden Forest, so we don't dawdle on the way out.

Hagrid turns to dismiss us. 'Arigh' you two. Good work tonigh'. I'll be seein' yer tomorrow night, same time. You can go to bed now'

Wood and I both bid Hagrid goodnight and head up towards the castle.

'So, messy detention, huh? Who do you reckon is worse off; us, the girls or the boys?' Wood is still trying to be friendly to me, but I'm so over it I don't even want to spend the next five minutes with him walking back to the tower. The past two hours was enough.

'I am the worst off. I have to spend every evening with you. As well as training. Which I will see you at in the morning.' With that I turn into the nearest corridor, planning to make a detour to get away from Wood.

'Where are you going?' Wood calls after me.

'Owlery' I reply curtly over my shoulder with the first thing that comes into my head.

I walk quickly down the corridor, eager to get away from Wood. Unfortunately though, I seem to have picked a corridor I had never been before (not unusual in Hogwarts) and as I walk, I seem to find myself getting lost.

_Great work, Bell. It's freezing cold, you are covered in muck and you don't know where you are. Great Work._

I'm so annoyed with myself; I don't see him coming around the corner until we are both sprawled on the stone floor, bringing an acute sense of _déjà vu _as I stare, for the second time that day into bright blue eyes.

'Bell. Again' Danny Flint's voice isn't particularly warm and welcoming, yet neither is it cold.

'Sorry. Again' I reply, sliding off him and standing up.

'Nice outfit'

'I had dentention'

'Maybe you should keep getting it. You look hot in slime' He smirks, looking me up and down.

I can feel myself colour, and hope he doesn't notice in the darkness.

'What are you doing out of bed so late?' I ask to change the subject of my repellent appearance.

'It's only 10:15. Seventh year's curfew isn't until eleven.' He explains this like he's talking to a child.

I just keep embarrassing myself in front of this guy.

'Well… My curfew ends in fifteen minutes, so I better get going. See you' I turn around and start walking away. I want to get out of here ASAP so the hotness that is Danny Flint can't see or smell me in this disgusting state any longer.

'Uh, Bell?' He calls out after me.

'What is it, Flint?' I reply.

'That's the way to the Slytherin wing'

'Right.' _Oh Merlin, just strike me down now._

'You're lost, aren't you?' He walks up to me.

'No…. just…. In a position of perpetual misdirection.'

'So in other words….lost.'

'You could say that' I concede_. Fuck. Nice one Bell. _

Flint sighs and takes my hand. He doesn't even flinch at the stickiness of it. I'm impressed. Not that I notice that much, because my stomach flips and sends a jolt up to my heart making it jump and bounces back down to my feet making everything on the way tingle. Danny Flint is holding my hand _voluntarily. _

_Don't fuck this up Bell!_

'I'm going to have to show you the way, or you'll never make it back in time for curfew.' He says as he begins to drag me around a corner and down a corridor. 'Even though I may think detention suits you, you might not want to reek this much ever again'

I'm ridiculously embarrassed, but I just allow myself to be led mutely (everything I have said so far really hasn't done me any favours) down two more corridors, up three flights of stairs and through and empty classroom until we are somewhere I recognise. The portrait is just up another flight of stairs and down a corridor.

'I think I've got it from here' I say, stopping. Flint drops my hand, which is disappointing, wiping it on his robes, leaving sticky strands, which is mortifying.

'Okay, well if you're sure.' He replies. 'No doubt you will crash into me again at some stage, so see you round' He turns and walks off.

'Goodnight!' I yell after him. 'And thanks!'

He doesn't reply or turn around, just lifts a hand with two fingers in the air, like a sort of salute by way of answer.

I realise I have about one minute to make it back into the tower, so I run up the stairs and all the way to the portrait hole, making it inside just in time. I lean against the wall, panting, but with a huge grin on my face. _Danny Flint!!_

'So, have fun fraternising with the enemy?' A voice from near the fireplace says.

I turn my face towards it. It's Wood.

'Danny Flint isn't the enemy' I retort.

'He's a Flint' Is the cold reply. 'And a Slytherin'

'Did you follow me?' I hope he hasn't seen what an idiot I made of myself.

'Not exactly. But I did see you leave, going completely the opposite way to both the tower and the owlery. Then almost twenty minutes later, you turn up here, holding hands with Flint. It doesn't take a genius to work out what's going on.'

'There is nothing between Danny Flint and me' I reply. 'Unlike you and Lila Parkinson, who I remind you is a Parkinson. As in, the enemy.'

Wood sets his jaw and gets up, striding across the common room until he is almost nose to nose with me.

'Look, Bell.' He's furious. 'I thought you might have been the one person who would listen to me about what happened with Lila, who I suspect has something to do with what happened at the start of term, even if you won't tell me about it. And after what happened with Lee too. I thought, hey, maybe Katie would want an explanation, maybe she would like to know why this girl is so hell bent on ruining her life, but hey! If you want to throw away our friendship so you can screw a Flint, I guess you really aren't the girl I thought you were'

He turns and walks determinedly away.

'Oli-'

'Save it for Flint' He doesn't even turn around.

**Review bitches!**


	13. Back to Perfect

**Hey kids, sorry about my late update!**

**hopefully it doesn't disappoint. **

**Would love a review or few... almost as much as I love Heyyodude and HorcruxFinder for reviewing.**

**-CrazyNakedFeet**

* * *

**OLIVER'S POV**

Two weeks has passed since my fight with Katie Bell. I'm not angry with her anymore- at least, not about anything to do with Lila or how she acted towards me since she walked in on us. None of that was her fault, the blame falls upon me. I knew what Lila was like and what she was capable of, and yet I still gave her an audience, allowing myself to be put in a position to be used.

_Stupid Wood. Abso-fucking-lutely stupid.  
_

But anyway. No point about whinging about how I totally fail at life right now. Actually, some things are going well. Although detention is over and done with (THANK GOD! Now I can get back to a more regular training schedule for the team), we did make some progress on the Thestrals. It was proving to be pretty difficult to do anything with them when we didn't know where they were, so we managed to paint different colours on them, not much, just a swipe or splodge here and there, all different colours. That made things WAY easier. We didn't actually get them flying, but we did manage to train them to come to us when called, as well as 'stay' and they let us mount them. My favourite, Saltbug (Hagrid sure has weird taste in names) actually let me go for a short ride on the ground. Katie's number one (Herbert) ate one of my gloves. Actually I think that was when she decided she liked him best.

I don't really know where our relationship stands at the moment (mine and Katie's that is, not mine and Saltbug's, darling though she is). It's like some sort of Mexican stand off. We are normal (well, perfectly civil anyway) to each other at training and we were fine at detention, but other than that any sort of friendship we had just seems to have disintegrated.

I miss her. She's around, but not here. I miss my Kates, one of my closest friends. I miss all the dumb stuff we used to do, all the lame jokes we share and stupid faces and dances and all that stuff we used to do up until recently. It's only been two weeks but it's been two of the most empty weeks of my life.

Except at the same time I don't miss her at all. It's kind of easier without the overload of thinking and emotions. And I haven't had to deal with any kind of fallout from the team or my friends, because I'm not really talking to them either. Well, it's not really that I'm not talking to them or Katie, I'm just not really talking to anyone. I've just sort of zombified myself the past couple of weeks. It's been great. Well as great as feeling nothing feels anyway.

As much as I miss Katie and everything we used to have as friends, I just know whatever we do now, it won't go back to being the same, so what's the point in pretending it can and having some pale imitation friendship, that is going to feel fraudulent and forced?

I'm sitting here, moping at a desk in the common room, pretending to be working with my Quidditch models, but I don't know if I'm fooling anyone.

'Hey man!' The voice makes me look up at Lee Jordan helping himself to the seat opposite me. 'What's cracken?'

'Just, you know, Quidditch'

Lee doesn't look like he's buying it.

'Look man, you gotta stop acting all depressed about Katie and shit. Seriously, it's way boring. You haven't even been as focused on Quidditch as much. Where's that Oliver Wood, the flying sport obsessed bastard we all know and love?'

Woah. Boring? Uncalled for.

'Hey, Lee, did you come here just to insult me?' I'm not really angry yet, but if there isn't much more point to this conversation I very well could be.

'Sorry dude. You know me, sensitivity isn't my forte yeah? What I'm saying is though, Katie's a cute chick, but she really isn't worth waiting around for.'

'What, and a chick like Lila Parkinson is?' Jordan can go to hell. I stand up. 'You fuck around on Katie, one of my best friends, a girl with everything to give, with Lila Parkinson, the most soulless and utterly vapid people in existence. Yeah, I'm totally going to take your advice. I can see you are really clued in on what's important in life'

'Man, I'm sorry. Seriously. I am so sorry I did that to Katie' Lee actually looks like he means it. I sit back down.

'Go on then, I'll hear you out' I wait for his explanation.

'Dude, that would be awesome. You would be the first person who has actually listened to me about this. No one else even asked what happened, it was just like, way to go Jordan! And, sweet notch in your bedpost man! And-'

'Jordan!'

'Sorry. I'll get back to it.

'Anyway… I was heading back up to the tower a little after midnight, due to the fact my stomach called me unquestionably to the kitchen. And then, I dunno, she came like out of nowhere and was all over me man. It was like, awesome, but like, wooooooah, is this really happening? Then I was like, holy shit, I better get this girl off my face, cos A- I don't know who it is and what if it's someone like Eloise Midgen? And B- I have a girlfriend.

'So yeah, I manage to pull myself out from her, and then I'm like… HOLY SHIT! It's Lila Parkinson. Sex Goddess. My dream woman. Hottest piece of arse ever to tread Hogwarts soil. '

'Jordan, do you think you can skip the details? And seriously? That's your ideal woman? A girl that springs herself sexually on unsuspecting passersby?' I'm getting kind of irritated. I wish I'd never asked now.

'OK, sorry. Dude, you're like McGonagall sometimes. I swear that woman is always so frustrated. If you ask me, she needs a good-'

'JORDAN!'

'Sheesh. Sorry. Looks like you could use a bit of action too mate'

'Look, I don't have to listen to or take your crap.' I'm nearly ready to walk away. This idiot is wasting my time that I really should be spending on Quidditch.

'OK, I really AM sorry this time, I mean you're freaking Oliver Wood, you can get any- oh shit! Sorry. There I go again. Anyway, yeah, I saw who it was, she invited me back to her room and then yeah.. _Buw-chika-wow-wow_!'

'Are you serious?' That's his big story that no one will listen to?

'Oh sorry man, did I cut your grass with Lila? Cos I know that back at the beginning of term on the train, you guys were kinda… you know…'

'No man, you did not cut my grass with Lila. In the slightest.' _With Katie however…_Shut up head!!

'Anyway, if you want to have random one night stands with girls with syphilis, be my guest' I smile.

'She has say-what-now?' Jordan does a double take.

'Look it up in a muggle medical dictionary' I advise him.

'Should I be worried?' He looks worried.

'Only if you like your vision and ability to pee standing up'

'Shit man, I gotta get to the library!' Lee Jordan races off without a word of goodbye. I smirk. Even if it's not a true, a nasty rumour can't make life comfortable for Lila Parkinson.

* * *

Practice went fairly smoothly this evening. I didn't want to get up everyone's arse too much… the match against Slytherin is only nine days away and if there's one thing I don't want it's my team being shitted off with me, I reflect as I shower. We're pretty solid, we just need to keep on keeping on and Slytherin will be crushed on no uncertain terms.

I turn off the tap, and wrapping my towel around me head out to the empty locker room, when I dry myself and pull on clean clothes and head out to finish packing up the practice equipment.

Looks like someone beat me to it. Showered and changed also, Katie is buckling the clasp on the bludger case. Picking up the quaffles, I walk towards her and the ball box.

'Sup Bell' I nod.

'Sup Wood' She returns my nod.

'Thanks for packing up and stuff' I say as I put the quaffles away, placing the cases for the blugers and snitch inside the box also, fastening the box.

'No worries' She says as she picks up the handle on the opposite side of the box and we begin to head to the equipment shed.

'So, Bell… we haven't really talked about… the other week…'

'Just forget about it' She isn't unfriendly about it though.

'So… we good?' I dare to ask.

'Yeah. We're good' she replies, and using the arms that aren't carrying the ball box, we make fists and lightly touch knuckles across the box as we put it down.

'Man, that was our entire emotional reunion?' She asks

'Yeah, that sucked. Come here Kates' I hold my arms out and she jumps into them, hugging me tightly. I squeeze her gently for a couple of seconds, then release my grip and we relax out of our hug.

'I missed you Kates' I say, hands still on her waist.

'I missed you too' She replies, looking up into my eyes. God she's beautiful.

'Right, enough of this mushy crap. Let's go get dinner' I move away from her, but sling an arm round her shoulders and steer us both in the direction of the castle.

'Thank God, I think I was going to throw up for a second there' She replies, throwing her arm around my waist.

'As if, you know you love me'

'Yeah, I love obsessive maniacs who only wear boxers with Quidditch teams on them'

'Yeah, and I love girls who wipe their nose on their sleeve!' I retort, catching her in the act.

'What?! I have a cold and no tissue, ok!'

'You're one classy lady Katie Bell'

We continue bagging each other out all the way up to the castle, and all the way through dinner. It's like nothing had ever happened between us. I have my best friend back.

I lean back on my pillow. Everything is back to normal. Perfect.

* * *

**OK... now this is where you review!!**


	14. Ridiculous

**Hello my beautiful loyal followers.**

**I'm sooo bloody sorry it's taken this long to update (although i do thank you for your requests for one!)**

**a few things have happened... been ridiculously busing, dominating life and winning at being awesome, broke up with my boyfriend of over 3 years, studying like crazy, working and pretty much being perpetually completely and utterly drunk off my tits.**

**anyway, i hope this makes up for my lack of effort lately. it's short, but i hope you think it's sweet.**

**Lots of love love love to**

**Heyyodude**

**HorcruxFinder,**

**HippyFlowerChild**

**ising4life**

**Imaginative Reality**

**Munchbutt (also... dude? Muching butts?? not sure i get it)**

**SweetheartintheCorner**

**CapriceAnn**

**Ashley**

* * *

It is tomorrow. Oh God. Oh Fuck. Oh fucking God. It is tomorrow.

Is what I will be thinking to myself tomorrow….However right now my thoughts are going more along the lines of…

It is the day after tomorrow. Oh God. Oh Fuck. It is the day after tomorrow. The day after tomorrow is the day we play Slytherin and the day after tomorrow is the day that decides where we are in the running for the Quidditch Cup and if we lose tomorrow then we may not be in a good place and if we aren't in a good place then we could lose the Cup and if we lose the cup then I won't have achieved anything at this school and then I won't get into a professional team and then I'll have no job and no qualifications and I'll have wasted the last seven years.

So basically, the day after tomorrow decides my entire future.

'Oliver!'

A loud voice in my ear makes me blink and notice the hand waving around in front of my eyes.

'Hello?' Katie's face comes into focus. 'Are you still on planet Earth Wood?'

'Oh. Hey.' I blink some more and the rest of the world comes back to me and once again I am in the common room, my Quidditch models in front of me, along with Katie Bell sitting in the chair opposite.

'So… as I was saying, although I think you went way too space cadet on me to notice, do you want to head down to dinner now?' Katie asked.

'Dinner? What? Are you kidding me? I need to be working on Quidditch! The match is the day after tomorrow. _The day after tomorrow _Kates.'

'Well, OK then. I'm starving so I'm going, but if I don't see you down there within half an hour I'm sending Fred and George after you.'

'As if you could tear them away from their food'

'Oh, I have my ways' She says mysteriously, before standing up and walking out the portrait. I sigh. The day after tomorrow. The match is forty one hours away and she expects me drop whatever I'm doing for one measly dinner? I run my hands through my hair and rest them on the back of my head, leaning back over my seat and cracking my back. Oh yeah. That feels goooood. I look at my models, decide I really am not getting anywhere with them and might as well go to dinner. I dawdle packing them up, but keep an eye on the clock. I don't want to look all keen and like I wasn't working, but at the same time I'm pretty sure I don't want the Weasleys up here. Anyone with a brain knows you don't want those two on your case. I head out the portrait exit, right after I mess up my hair to just the right extent and make sure my tie looks loose and casual and untuck the back of my shirt. I may have missed out on Katie, but there are plenty of other good looking girls as this school. Plenty of which will notice me at the game.

Oh fuck. The game.

_Aaaargh Wood. ENOUGH! _I berate myself. _Just stop thinking about it for five seconds and go get some food. For once, get your thick obsessive head out of the game!_

I start towards the Great Hall, hands in my pockets, attempting the Davies look (although I probably failed miserably. Which may be a good thing, he's a dick.) Turning the corner, I see something that makes me stop right in the middle of my gait cycle, forcing me to do a sort of jig to stay upright. While my hands are still in my pockets.

'Nice Riverdance, Wood' Flint sneers. Daniel Flint. Not Marcus.

Katie giggles. Ouch.

'Thought you were heading down to dinner?' I can't keep the ice out of my voice.

'I was, bu-'

'We got chatting' Flint interrupts.

'Oh?' I fold my arms. 'And what would the twin brother of the Slytherin Quidditch Captain possibly have to talk to a Gryffindor chaser about two days before Slytherin plays Gryffindor?'

Ladies and Gentlemen, the ice man is in the house.

'Nothing in particular' Flint drawls. 'Oh, except of course, the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend'

Katie looks at me, then Flint. Fuck. She looks hopeful. 'We weren't talking about that'

'Well we are now' Flint replies smoothly. 'Fancy the spending a whole day with me? See how many times you can knock me over in an hour?'

Katie looks at me, then back to Flint. 'Promise it won't be like last time?'

'Promise. And a gentleman always keeps his word'

Blech. It's sickening. And what is this bleeding last time?! If they have done anything off their feet, in any sort of hint of a horizontal position… So help me God. Oh shit... Katie's going to answer.

Katie smiles. 'I'd love to'

Now it's Flint's turn to smile. Smug bastard.

'Great. I'll talk to you after dinner' He kisses her on the cheek and turns around. 'See you in second place, Wood'

The dropkick does a wanky, self-satisfied strut down the corridor.

Katie has the most ridiculous grin on her face. She looks ridiculous.

'You look ridiculous' I snap.

'What?' She's still in dreamland.

'You are not going on that date. It's ridiculous'

'Excuse me?' Goodbye dreamland. Looks like there is now an ice woman in the building as well.

'You heard me. The notion is ridiculous'

'Stop using that word! And YOU are the one being ridiculous! I can date whomever I want to; you have no claim over my love life!'

'If I had my way, I would.' I'm serious now. The icy quality has melted its way out of my voice, leaving me with only dead sincerity.

'Wood, don't start this now' She turns to walk away. I reach out and clasp her wrist, pulling her back to me.

'Kates, come on. Not a Flint. He's using you. He'll hurt you'

'Hurt me? You are worried he'll hurt me? Like a Flint could hurt me worse than a Wood. And a Parkinson.'

'Kate, that's not fair, come on' I plead.

She pulls her wrist out of my grasp. 'You had your chance Wood. You missed the boat'

She walks away, shoes clicking on the stone floor.

I'm suddenly cold, and not just because I live in a stone castle. Any desire I had for dinner has gone, and I turn to trudge back to the tower and to the dark, comforting isolation of my room. As I drag my feet, I catch sight of myself in a mirror. My hands are in my pockets, just like before. My hair is still carefully dishevelled, shirt artfully arranged in a loose fashion, as is my tie. I can now see who looks ridiculous.

What a joke. I don't care about any of those other girls and what they may think of me. Even pretending for a second was stupid. Even more stupid than I look right now. I look like bloody Davies. I look like a dickhead who has no idea how to treat a girl, not to mention his best friend, let alone the girl he is in love with.

I need a new G.P., I surmise as I slam the door of my room shut, rip my shirt and tie off and flop onto my bed. Obviously being a total cock isn't the way to win Katie over, as I have just proved. That just reminds me of the fact that she is mad at me, and probably will be for some time. FUCK. I cannot have my best chaser angry at me two days before such an important match. Fuck, _fuck_, FUCK. _Fucking_ fuck.

Fuck it. 'Fuck' doesn't even sound like a real word anymore.

_Note to self: have more variety in your swearing, Wood. _

Hmm.

_Yes, you can grant yourself permission to seek tuition from Fred and George. But nothing Jordan would use._

Fuck no. Fuck! Must see the twins A.S.A.P.

Anyway.

Well, maybe I'll just have to act like I don't care about the whole 'going on a (shudder) date with a Flint' thing. Okay. Game Plan goes like this.

**The Great Plot to Achieve the Maximisation of Gryffindor's Chances (non-skills related) at Winning the Quidditch Cup**

_Also may be used for my own selfish needs and desires._

**By O. Wood.**

Apologise to Katie Bell. Be sincere. (Actually I WILL be sincere about the being an arsehole thing.) Also, try and explain about the whole Lila Incident. (Part B of Step One may not happen though. Bell is stubborn)

Try and convince her that I am fine with her dating Flint and it's none of my business who she dates. (Obviously this is a lie, but come ON. It's _Quidditch_. When we win the cup she'll understand why.)

Somehow become Katie's dream man and be irresistible and make her fall in love with me.

Yeah, I know, Step Three is pushing it and the whole thing does involve lying to my best friend, but hey, _all's fair in love and war, _it's Quidditch and I know for a fact that Flints don't play anything fair. It's in Gryffindor's best interests, both for house points and cup victory, as well as maintaining it's Slytherin-spanking reputation that my plan goes ahead.

_And that you get the girl, _says the voice inside my head.

* * *

**Now is the time I get on your back to feed my ego and REVIEW BIATCH, REVIEW!!**

**love**


	15. Winning at Life

**Hello adoring readers,**

**It's been a little while since my last update, so i hope this makes you happy. I love my reviewers, Hippyflower Child (glad i make you laugh. Lovely, lovely, lovely to have you as a reader) Horcrux Finder (everyone read her work. Awesome!) ising4life and harrpotterfan18 (both very very good for my ego).**

**and Heyyo, i miss you. come back to me and review more! or we shall never party on my awesome cruise ship.**

**i KNOW its freaking annoying when authors nag you to review but i will seriously love you. actually i probably won't leave you alone and will love you so much i will pester you all over facebook, but it's out of love. so REVIEW.**

**i hope you like it, i finish classes for the year in 2 and a half weeks so there will be much more frequent updates after that! can't believe i haven't gotten bored with it by now and am actually up to chapter 15!**

**I adore you for reading this all the way through to here. enjoy.**

* * *

**OLIVER'S POV**

I close the door behind me and walk over to my desk, feeling relieved that Katie had accepted my apology. She still brushed off my explanation about Lila and the locker room, but I was expecting that, considering how stubborn she is.

OK. Well. At least she won't be mad at me the day of the match. Which is tomorrow. Oh fuck. Oh God. Oh fucking God. It is tomorrow. We play Slytherin tomorrow. It's that soon. We have been practising all term for the start of the Quidditch season and it is tomorrow. I'm internally panicking as I sit down at the desk, looking for something to distract me from my panic. My Quidditch models! You can never be too prepared. I push an unaddressed envelope off the top of my model pitch, dropping it on the floor amid a pile of papers and schoolbooks. Unimportant things. Unlike Quidditch. I turn back to the miniature pitch on my desk, prodding the figures with my wand, going through our very carefully learned plays.

I'm on autopilot. At least, I must be, because all I'm concentrating on is the chaser figure that is representing Katie. I charmed all the models to represent my team. The Katie replica zooms around the goal hoops, catching the tiny quaffle and effortlessly sinking it into the right hoop, long blonde hair rippling behind her, green eyes bright even on such a small face. But it's nothing compared to the real thing.

The opposing chaser, clad in green, snatches the quaffle up and play resumes. I tap the pitch twice with my wand, ceasing all motion. I pick up the green chaser. I know it's stupid and childish and petty, but I want to crush his smug little head between my fingers. I know it's meant to represent Marcus Flint, not the smug wanker taking Katie to Hogsmeade next weekend, but I don't care. He's a Flint. A dirty, foul slimy Slytherin Flint. And he's going on a date with Katie.

It's not right. I sigh and put the figure down. She doesn't belong with him. She's too pure. God knows I don't deserve her. I don't even deserve the small taste I got. I don't even deserve to be her friend. I've lead her on, lied to her, shouted at her. Friends don't do that to friends. She's amazing. So amazing. She deserves better than that.

But I'm convinced I've got to be at least a little better than a Flint. So fine, not me. Even if it breaks me to see her with someone else, it shatters me to see her with Daniel Flint. And yes, I know, it's only one date. But she seemed really into him and it will more than likely end up in a relationship. Fuck.

FUCK. I see the swearing tips I picked up off Fred and George are not having any effect at all. Fuck.

I'm such a loser I can't even swear properly.

Anyway. The match is tomorrow and I can't concentrate on shitty things I don't really have to much control over. I reach out and pull open a draw, hand searching for one of my most valuable possessions. My Quidditch scrapbook.

Yes. I, Oliver Wood, masculine Quidditch Captain and Hogwarts heartthrob, like scrapbooking. It happens to be my only hobby, contrary to popular belief. But then, what people don't realise is that Quidditch is not a hobby: it's a lifestyle.

I run my hands over the cover. One of my favourite photos is stuck to the front. The Gryffindor team the last time we won the cup. It was one of the best days of my life. It was taken right after the grand final. It was Charlie Weasley's last year and he stood in the centre of the frame, sobbing joyously over the large golden gup he was clasping. To either side of him were our beaters, Eddie Matthews and Greg Rye, arms slung over Charlie's shoulders, fists pumping the air in triumph while still wielding their clubs, narrowly avoiding hitting the chasers Sylvia Greening and Lachlan Drexler in the face. And my favourite part of the photo. I had just been told I was to become Captain the following year. I was ecstatic, the look on my face was enough to tell anyone this. The girl clinging to me in a piggyback wore an expression of equal joy. We were both laughing and she was hugging me round the neck, rather tightly if I remember, but that's Katie Bell for you. So much to give.

I flip through the book, smiling at old photos, silly ones and serious, tracing my fingers over some of our more brilliant plays. I close the book and fall asleep gazing at the cover, full of hope and courage for the day ahead.

* * *

It's raining red and gold. And thundering screams and applause. And the most beautiful girl in the world is in my arms.

And it's not even a dream.

We won. We bloody _won_. We were fantastic, we were amazing. Harry was phenomenal. My whole team was. And now we are jumping all over each other, brooms lying forgotten on the ground, the Gryffindor crowd throwing confetti from the stands, faces everywhere alit with the brightest of smiles.

By the time our team manages to get up to the common room, Gryffindor Tower has been decked out ready for a party, gold and red everywhere, tables full of contraband alcohol and Honeydukes goodies.

Fuck.

Yeah.

Fuck Yeah!

I don't even care about the unoriginality of my swearing.

_Although, _I remind myself, _You should try harder in future Wood. If you are going to be a filthy swearing man, be an interesting filthy swearing man._

I am pulled out of the entangling arms of my team and hauled to stand atop a coffee stable and am suddenly faced with a sea full of eager Gryffindors shouting 'SPEECH! SPEECH!'

'Uh, I didn't uh' I stammer out. Someone sticks a glass of firewhiskey into my hand. I drain it, pass it back and am given another in return.

'Yo Gryffindor!' I roar, sounding like Lee Jordan but not even caring. The firewhiskey hasn't really affected me yet but it has given me a bit of confidence.

'Today, we won the first match of the season!' Cheers and whistles echo around the room. And I knock back my drink. It is immediately replaced as I continue.

'Which puts us in the best position possible at this point to win the ruddy cup! So I must thank my fucking superbloodyawesome beaters-'

Cheers again.

'My amazing, gorgeous, talented chasers!'

I look straight at Katie when I say this and she looks right back as the applause and shouts thunder around us.

'And I'll never forget how astoundingly superb my seeker is, the man who has never failed us, Harry Potter!'

The crowd goes really wild this time and drinks with me as I empty my glass again.

I'm suddenly joined on the small table somehow by my entire team. George interrupts me. 'And not to forget our manic, psychotic-

'-but not to mention' Fred cuts in. 'Spiffing-'

'Spectacular'

'Spanking good'

'KEEPER' Shouts my entire team, and we squish into a massive group hug, limbs tangling everywhere. Of course, the coffee table can't take this, and we don't have a hope of balancing, falling to the floor in a knot of bodies.

We are laughing, we are shouting, we are groaning and twisting around trying to find our own bodies in the mess we made of ourselves on the floor. The world is shining scarlet and gold, my two favourite colours. I'm surrounded by the best people in the world.

_Oliver Wood, you might not have a date with the gorgeous Katie Bell, but right now she is laughing and smiling and staring you right in the face with her legs tangled in yours. You have the best bloody team you could ever have, not to mention the most brilliant friends in the world._

_Wood, despite the small imperfections and the truly dismal unoriginality of your swearing, you are winning at life._

This is what I think to myself in this moment.

* * *

It's now twenty to four in the morning. There are sleepy (or should I

say passed out) Gryffindors scattered throughout the common room. They are going to be sorry tomorrow. Never pass out anywhere near the Weasley twins. I'm lazily sprawled on the floor, too full of food and booze to move. Harry is doing the same on my right, although not quite as lazy, or quite as drunk, as he still has the snitch from the match and is releasing it for half a second then catching it before it flies away. Amazing. If he is as drunk as I am, he has fantastic reflexes.

'Yerrr 'mazing Podder' I slur, lifting my finger to point at him before it thumps back on the ground. 'Verry good reblexessss. Blurry good'

''s no' tha' good Orrrava' He replies. He is drunk. ''s actrry jus' a ball'

Oh. That explains it. Also explains why when I distracted him by talking, the 'snitch' thunked down on his head.

We both laugh drunkenly.

'So, 'ave ya snogged 'Erminey yet?' I ask

'Bleeeeech' Is the response I get.

'Ooo ya afta then?'

'Cho Chang. I fink aneeeway. She's hot. Hahaha. Hotter tha' you Orrava! Hahaha'

I laugh too. ''sif Harree. I'ma hit wif tha ladeees. I got skeeelzzz' I attempt some sort of gangsta gesture but hit myself in the nose. I laugh at this. I'm hilarious.

'Sure ya are. Thas' why Kadee is aaaall ova ya.' Harry is drunk AND sarcastic. Impressive feat. 'You should jus' snog her an' then she'd fagedd all 'bout tha' ruddy Flint'

'Tha' ruddy Flint!'

'Ruddy Flinddddd' Harry echoes.

'RUDDY FLINT!' I shout drunkenly

'Rudd..yy.. Fl…' Harry has just passed out. Sucks to be him. I know for a fact that the twins were just waiting for this moment. Oh shit… I better get out of here before I do the same. I grope for my wand and somehow manage to successfully pull off a sobering charm, one passed down through generations of wayward, rule breaking Hogwarts students. Instantly, as expected, I'm greeted with that heavy throbbing headache that accompanies a hangover. With a head that feels like it's full of soggy porridge, I perform the next charm designed to rid me of the hangover symptoms. Oh God. Does that feel better.

I survey the mess we have created. Impressive. Can't wait to see the damage we can do if we manage to pull off winning the cup. Which we will. We HAVE to. I head towards the stairs, weary and ready for the soft comfort of my bed. I am at the second stair when I hear the unmistakable retching sound of someone vomiting, followed by the chunky spattering splash that inevitably follows. I sigh, looking around for the source.

Ah. Familiar blonde hair is spilling out of the punch bowl. I make my way over.

'Kates' I put my hands gently on her shoulder.

She lifts her head, but has to put in straight back in the bowl. I sigh again, and pull her hair back off her face, holding it behind her head. I rub slow circles on her back, and wait until she is finished.

'Eeergh' She says, leaning back, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. She leans back too far and I step in quickly to catch her, setting her back on her feet.

'Kates, are you alright to make it up the stairs to bed?' I ask

'Yeah, I'll be fine. Jus' fiiiiiiiine' She's still drunk. She goes to take a step and ends up on her bum. 'Oops' She giggles. She tries to get up, but really has zero coordination. I consider sobering her up the same way I did myself, but when I locate my wand and turn to her again, I see she has passed out and is now snoring softly in a heap at my feet. Great.

I can't leave her here. The twins will be on the prowl any minute. Actually, scratch that, I can see them extracting themselves from Alicia and Angelina and grinning maniacally before making their way over to where I left Harry. Oh well. He's a man. He'll have to fend for himself.

Katie, however. Hmm. I can't very well take her to her own room, I can't get up the stairs. I make the decision right then to take her to my room. I slide my arms under her knees and back, easily lifting her slight weight. I slowly make my way up the stairs. She might not have been heavy at first, but she is a dead weight now and I have nothing to keep her in my arms except, well, my arms. Which aren't holding hers. It isn't the most elegant of entrances to my room, Katie's arms dangling, head lolling back and threatening to slide off, but we make it.

I lay her down softly on my bed, pull off her shoes and gently pull the covers up to her chin.

'Night Katie. Sweet dreams' I whisper before smoothing the hair off her face and pressing my lips to her forehead. I take one more look at her before pulling the curtains shut around her.

I walk over to my couch, shed all my clothes save my boxers (today is Tornadoes day) and pull a spare blanket from underneath is before collapsing into a well deserved sleep.

* * *

**Just a quick note here- do you think i could get away with changing the rating to 'T'?**

**peace & love**

**oh.. and REVIEW**


	16. The Best Day of My Life

**OK...**

**so a certain bunch of people are kind of pissed I didn't update sooner...**

**SO I AM TOTALLY SORRY. Especially sorry to Heyyo (and Gina) and HPfan. I LOVE YOU GUYS. I AM SORRY**

**anyway... basically my lovely LOVELY reviewers can thank Heyyo for the chat we had earlier today and basically she actually inspired me write a bit more.**

**so read, enjoy and have a fantasically awesome new years, i'll probably be too drunk over the next few days to write anything for a little bit, but i feel more in the spirit of writing now so hopefully there shall be more soon.**

**enjoy!!**

**and review cos im a bitch on your back :-)**

* * *

**OLIVER'S POV**

A reddish glow pushes its unwelcome way through my closed eyelids. I squint them shut tighter, willing the too-bright morning sun to disappear, wondering why I hadn't closed my curtains last night. And then, snapping my eyes open, I remember why. It takes a few seconds for the room to come into focus and for my eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight, but a few seconds are all I need to realise she is gone.

I reach for my watch where I left it, lying atop the clothes I discarded last night. 11:00. Shit. I really did sleep in. Thank fuck it's a weekend. No class. Just need to get up to face two essays and revise for my transfiguration practical, not to mention planning the training schedule for the month we have before our match against Hufflepuff.

And, I remind myself, not to mention face Katie Bell. The lack of the note Katie would normally leave, or an owl tapping on my window is enough to tell me that she probably took waking up in my bed at face value, and assumed we slept together last night. Even though she must have seen me on the couch. So even if she does think we slept together, she has to know we didn't literally _sleep_ together, which doesn't make any sense. So, I guess the question is, what does Katie think happened last night? And subsequently, how does she feel about that? Also, did she throw up in my bed? And more importantly than spew, does Diggory still fly a Cleansweep 8.3? Aaaagh… the questions!! I'm a man, I can't multi-task like this! Especially not in my head!

I rub the sleep out of my eyes, find a tee shirt and scratch my balls as I decide what to do with my day, and then sit at my desk to write out a schedule. I have to make room on my desk, sliding off a bag of owl treats, a quaffle shaped stress ball, two plain envelopes and two crusts of toast. _How do you let your desk get so freaking messy, Wood? You're truly revolting. _I chide myself as I try to remember that I should do something about the toast later.

Anyway.

**WOOD'S SATURDAY G.P.**

**By O. Wood**

**1. Training Schedule. It CANNOT wait, as the pitch bookings need to be in by Monday and I want the monopoly on it.**

**2. Talk to Katie. Explain about how heroic and chivalrous I am, saving her from the twins and how gentlemanly I am for giving up my bed and leaving myself at mercy to the lumpy cushions of my evidently 'pre-loved' couch.**

**3. Go to library and produce bullshit essays.**

**4. Revise for Transfiguration by attempting to turn uncomfortable, back scrunching couch into luxury lounge suite.**

I know… I really should switch 2 and 1.

Actually, maybe 2 and 4 should be switched

No, I think 4 really needs to come first.

Wait, what am I _saying_? It's QUIDDITCH for God's sake!

_But, it's KATIE! _

Goddamn that voice in my head.

Suddenly my door opens, and Percy Weasley strides in.

'Ever hear of knocking?' I'm not angry, but seriously, what if this had happened two hours previously? I can't imagine I'd be in Percy's good books.

'Good Morning Oliver. Congratulations on Gryffindor's win, you are one of the few senior male students setting a good example for the younger years through your dedication.' He takes a seat on my uncomfortable couch.

'Hey Perce?' I realise Percy is one of the few people who will take me one hundred percent seriously in this question. 'Do you ever get a voice in your head? Like not one of those psychotic voices, but one that disagrees with you, or tells you what to do?'

'Oliver, it's called a conscience.' Percy looks a little smug, and I can definitely detect a hint of pride in his words. 'We all have one. Or should anyway. Judging by last night's misdemeanours, it seems my brothers are distinctly lacking in the conscience department.'

'Oh' Well that explains a lot. And hmm... wonder what happened to Potter? 'Thanks. So… any reason for this visit, apart from congratulating my team on our spectacular win?'

Suddenly Percy is all business. 'Professor McGonagall asked me to inform you that Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office. Immediately.'

'What? Why?' I'm stumped on why Dumbledore would want to see me. I usually deal with McGonagall, and almost always about Quidditch. What would Dumbledore want with me?

'I was not disclosed any details. I assume it is a private matter' Percy is once again in arrogant Head Boy mode. 'I think it would be prudent for you to go at once'

'Fine. Catch ya later, Perce' I mutter, pulling a pair of jeans on as he leaves. I shove my feet into a pair of thongs (I'm not sure why I have these, but they have come in handy when I can't be arsed wearing real shoes), pocket my wand and as I spray on some deodorant-no time for a shower- and make to head out the door, an owl I don't recognise swoops through my open window and drops an envelope on my desk. I snatch it up, deciding to read it on the way.

I stride through the corridors, fumbling to break the seal on the envelope, narrowly missing the trick step, and pull out the letter. I stop walking, right in the middle of the staircase. I stop because the letterhead belongs to St Mungo's. I only know one person in St Mungo's.

_To Whom It May Concern,_

_I am delighted to inform you of Mr Tobias Parkinson's return to consciousness after seven years of a curse induced coma. While we had hoped for an outcome such as this, chances were slim and his resurgence is nothing short of miraculous. Mr Parkinson is currently residing in the long term patients' wing of the hospital in which I encourage close friends of Mr Parkinson to visit, after family of course, to aid his recovery and return his life to normal as quickly as possible._

_I remind you that visiting hours are between 10am-4pm Monday to Friday, 11am-5pm Saturday and 12pm-3pm Sunday. I also remind you that hospital rules do not permit gifts of plants, aminals or any non-security approved magically enchanced foods and appreciate your cooperation with these regulations. I am sure you will want to make the most of visiting hours and I greatly anticipate a speedy recovery, no doubt aided by your time and care._

_Warm regards,_

_Bertha Dallington_

_Curse Specialist, Head of Curse Damage_

Incredible.

INCREDIBLE.

ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

'THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!' I shout, breaking into a run. I cheer, I whoop, I holler my way to Dumbledore's office, my letter held high above my head in triumph as I run. I stop only as I run into Potter and his sidekicks, tousling the hair of both Harry and Ron, knocking their heads together, picking Hermione up and twirling her around before planting a huge kiss on her forehead. She flushes furiously as Harry enquires to my mental state.

'I'M FREAKING _ECSTATICALLY_ SANE!' I bellow, running down the corridor before dashing up the staircase to Dumbledore's office, which is thankfully open, saving me having to go through my entire Honeyduke's vocabulary.

'Professor! It's the best news! It's amazing! What a-'My exclamations halt as I look around the office and realise Dumbledore and I aren't the only ones in his office.

McGonagall is also present, which makes sense as she is my head of house and responsible for me, as is Snape and Flitwick. Meaning the two students occupying the chairs facing away from me are Lila and Pansy Parkinson.

'I am glad to see you are as pleased with the good news of Tobias Parkinson's return to the conscious world as his sisters are' Dumbledore smiles as me and motions for me to take a seat. I chose the one next to Pansy, carefully avoiding eye contact with Lila. While on the surface she may have even more right than I do to be here, all I can think about is how she doesn't even deserve to know he is awake, much less be in this room or ever see him again. He is far more my brother than he will ever be to her. I manage to stammer out a reply.

'Y-yes. It's a miracle Toby could recover from an event so damaging' I can't keep the bitterness out.

McGonagall shoots me a look. Lila lets out a sob. A fake one, I know.

'Yes Mr Wood. It is a very fortunate occurrence. He was an excellent student here and I should very much like him to continue his magical education' Dumbledore agrees, although his tone is far kinder than mine. 'Now, I have gathered you here as no doubt you would all like to visit Tobias, and I would like to arrange that in the timeliest manner possible for you. Miss Parkinsons, as you are family I have organised a coach that will take you to St Mungo's immediately if you wish, or as soon as you are ready.'

'Thank you Professor' Lila simpers. I tear my eyes away from Dumbledore and McGonagall and can't resist glancing at her. She is the perfect picture of an overjoyed and thankful sister. Tears are streaming down her face, and she has chosen just the right smile, one that isn't too happy, but still creates the image of joy.

Murderous bitch.

I dig my fingernails into the armrest of the chair.

At least Pansy is giving a genuine reaction. While she isn't smiling, her eyes are shining and I know she must be nervous and excited to see her big brother. She probably barely remembers him.

'And you, Mr Wood' Dumbledore continues. 'I know the Woods and Parkinsons are close friends and naturally you must be anxious to reacquaint yourself with Tobias. As you are not family, I cannot allow you to leave today, but instead next Hogsmeade weekend I will arrange for transport to take you to St Mungo's if you wish.'

It's not what I was hoping for, but at least I will get to see him. Even if it is two weeks away.

'Thanks, Professor. I appreciate it.' And I do. Dumbledore only really had to speak to family and I'm glad he was kind enough to include me.

'Well' He smiles. 'You must all be keen to go share the good news and celebrate with each other. Miss Parkinsons, if you would care to meet the coach at the gates at your earliest convenience, you will be seeing your brother very shortly.' Lila and Pansy nod and leave the room. I take it that is my cue too.

'And Mr Wood' McGonagall calls as I go to exit. 'Keep up the good work on the pitch, I have a feeling that trophy is destined for a new home in my office'

I salute and as I walk out the door, I could swear I see her smirk at Snape and Flitwick.

Well, I muse as I head back towards the Gryffindor Tower, it almost couldn't be better. TOBY IS BACK. Sure, Lila gets to see him first. So what. And sure, I still haven't spoken to Katie about last night. BUT TOBY IS BACK.

And that beats out anything.

Even seeing Katie walk past me with Danny Flint can't bring me down.

HEY. Katie and Flint! I must be delirious with euphoria. I turn around and march back up to them, grab Katie by the shoulders, jerking her hand out of Flint's.

'Oliver, what the f-'

Before she can get anything else out, I wrap my arms around her and dip her back into the kiss I've always wanted to give her. A passionate, sweet and sexy display. Hoots and catcalls come from the students in the corridor.

'Oi!' Flint shouts. 'What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?'

I gently take my lips off Katie's (although if I had my way I would never take them off) and put her back on her feet. Her lips are reddened from our kiss and she looks a little dazed.

'Something I've always wanted to.' I look right into her eyes as I say this, catching Flint's fist with my left hand, stoping it millimetres from my face. He is shocked.

'Got to get up earlier than that to beat a Keeper's reflexes' I smirk and push his hand away, turn my back and saunter down the corridor.

_THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE! _

For once, Conscience, I totally agree.

* * *

**Ok... REVIEW TIME**

**lovelove!**


	17. Confusion

**So...**

**sorry about lack of updates, the internet at my place has shat itself, and i have been very busy! started work in my new dance company which is AWESOME but also kills my body a little bit at a time. also been doing the usual drinking, partying and crap that takes up my time.**

**anyhoo, hope you arent too disappointed with this lump of words. and i also hope my gorgeous, gorgeous reviewers (of whose names i can only remember Heyyo, AnotherHPF and Andy because i am in a a hurry to chuck down some margerhitas and so need to do this quickly) arent too let down**

**love you and boost my ego.**

**seriously- i got dumped 3 days ago! and havent even drank since... seriously my alcoholism is becoming merely mild, and that bothers me.**

**read and send my messages to make me feel popular.**

**love you xoxox!**

**

* * *

**

**KATIE'S POV**

Oliver hasn't spoken to me for a month. Not since he kissed me in the corridor. Actually, I don't think he has spoken to anyone for a month. Not properly. Even at Quidditch he's subdued. Which is a clear indication something is wrong, I mean, it's _Oliver Wood_ and _Quidditch. _The match made in heaven. Not that I haven't tried to talk to him. There hasn't been much opportunity however, apart from Quidditch, Oliver has barely been around. Tonight is an extremely rare sighting of my captain, but he is definitely not giving off an approachable sort of vibe. I miss him.

I twist around on the couch I'm sharing with Fred to look over at Oliver now. He is sitting at a desk in the common room, paper on the desk beneath his untouched quill. His elbows are on the desk, forehead pressed into his hands, shoulders hunched over. It's painful to watch. I turn around again, sighing and folding my arms.

'Looking at Wood again, Kate?' Fred asks me.

'Something is obviously wrong ' I reply. 'He's not even enthusiastic about Quidditch, I mean, it's a week until our next game and normally we wouldn't be able to get him to stop chewing our ears off and hounding us from class to class about it! It's starting to scare me, Fred! We have to do something about it'

'Kate' Fred puts his arm around my shoulders. 'We've tried. We've all tried talking to him. You know that. As much as, for some insane reason, I want our obsessive captain back to normal I think we are actually going to have to let Oliver deal with whatever it is on his own.'

I slumped down in my seat, wriggling out from under his arm and pouted childishly 'I want Oliver'

'Hey, you already have the second most gorgeous guy at Hogwarts, don't be greedy' Angelina plonks herself down on the sofa, squishing in between Fred and I while dumping a stack of books on the coffee table my feet are resting on.

'The _most_ gorgeous guy being yours truly of course' Fred pulls Angelina close and pecks her on the nose.

'While you and I might agree on that,' She grins. 'Most of the female population here would have to hand that prize to our lovely captain over there'

'Oi! What's he got that I haven't?!' Fred exclaims indignantly. I decide I don't really need to hear the rest of this conversation that will undoubtedly end in a snog marathon, so I bid Ange and Fred goodnight and head towards the dorm stairs. I pass Oliver, and his downtrodden expression makes my heart stop.

His perfect features are contorted with inner pain as he holds his head in his hands. I have to stop and reach out to him. I touch his hand, he jerks back and looks up at me.

'Oliver' I say softly.

He says nothing but stands and moves to walk past me toward the stairs.

'Oliver!' I say more loudly and grab hold of his sleeve as he goes past.

'What?' He turns around, his voice flat and his face impassive.

'I-Where….I…' I'm not sure what I want to say. _Why are you in so much pain? What's wrong? Let me fix you. _But how can I say that? Instead I stand there dumbly, holding his sleeve, my eyes locked on his.

'Why don't you go back to your precious Slytherin boyfriend?' He says coldly, snatching the fabric out from my fingers and swiftly heading up the stairs.

'He's not my boyfriend' I call after him. _Nice Bell. Real smooth. _

I lie awake that night, unable to sleep. Whatever is bothering Oliver is bothering me too now. I remember that last time we spoke. Well actually, he spoke, I just was able to cross number 12 off my list of things to do before I'm 30.

_12. Have the perfect kiss_

It was amazing. The clichéd description of fireworks doesn't cover it. It was more like being shot out of a cannon, the flip of my stomach, the tingle down my spine, the amazing, perfect feeling of being desired and the desire he made me feel. The way his arms held me, making my body zing at his touch while keeping me safe. We had kissed before, but never so perfectly.

Danny hadn't liked it. Well in all fairness I wouldn't have liked to watch a girl snatch him off me and snog him either. Our Hogsmeade date had been a success, I suppose. I mean, I had a perfectly lovely time with a ridiculously good looking guy. Who is in Slytherin, the twins constantly reminded me, so really, how good can he really be? Danny had had an explanation for this though.

_Danny had just bought two butterbeers at the bar at The Three Broomsticks, and had picked them up to bring them over to the table I was waiting at. He turned around, not seeing the Ravenclaw student standing too close behind him, and bumped into him, slopping half of a drink onto the Ravenclaw's shoe._

_'Sorry about that' Danny had apologised immediately, handing him the full pint. 'Have this one, mate'_

_The Ravenclaw gulped half of it down, then as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve, muttered 'Fucking clumsy-ass Slytherin' before walking off. Danny bought two more butterbeers and returned to our table._

_'That was some slightly atypical Slytherin behaviour' I remarked as he set down our drinks._

_'Oh, I'm just trying to impress you' Danny replied offhandedly. 'Nah, actually, you get used to the rest of the school hating you by seventh year. Nevermind that their opinion is based on a stereotype'_

_I smiled. 'So you are telling me that underneath behind the reputation you are all a bunch of well mannered, kind young people?'_

_He smiled back. 'Well, the reputation isn't entirely undeserved I admit, thanks to a few individuals, my brother included. But really, the main qualities that Slytherins are supposed to share are being ambitious, competitive-_

_'So you mean greedy and jealous?' I interrupt._

_'Ahh, the Gryffindor perspective. And not at all. What's wrong with having some goals and direction in life? Or being up to a challenge?'_

_'So what are your goals and challenges?' I asked, taking a sip of my drink._

_'Well, right now, they are kind of the same thing' He said, looking straight at me. I thought my heart be audible it was beating so hard. I looked back at him, running my eyes over his straight nose and eyebrows, over his moving lips and up to his cornflower eyes. Shit! His moving lips!_

_'-and I would think that as a Quidditch player, Wood'd be up to a little healthy competition' Danny finished his sentence with a wink._

_I was so lost. Goddamn that impressive face for distracting me! 'But you don't play Quidditch'_

_'Hmm… you are a daydreamer Bell. Perhaps you should have been sorted into Hufflepuff.' He smirked irritatingly. But sexily of course. 'But there's more than one kind of contest' He picked up my hand, pulling me from the table and led me outside, where we began walking hand in hand down the main street._

_'So, you know when Wood kissed you in the corridor-'_

_I cut him off 'We've been over this Danny. I was just as shocked as you'_

_'Mmhmm. So would you say it was a good kiss?'_

_Good kiss is understatement of the year. Not that I was going to tell Danny that._

_'Well I wasn't quite ready for it' I hoped I had sidestepped the question._

_'What if you were ready?' He stopped walking and faced me._

_'Well' I began 'I think then I would stand a chance of receiving a good kiss' Imagine receiving a kiss I was ready for from Oliver. I mean, I had before, but not like the corridor kiss. If I had been ready for the corridor kiss…._

_Danny stepped closer, placing one hand on my waist, and pulling the one that was still in his up to rest on his shoulder, before gently cupping my face with his hand._

_'Are you ready now?' He whispered._

_I nodded. Oliver wasn't here right now, and I had a seriously hot guy who wanted to kiss me. Why wouldn't I be ready?_

_'One' He inched his face closer._

_'Two' His lips were centimetres from mine._

_'Three' And then he kissed me._

_Danny Flint was a great kisser. Technically anyway. He did everything right. It felt amazing._

_But not amazing amazing, if that makes sense. Physically, he was doing a great job and my body definitely liked what he was doing with his lips, particularly when they left mine and made their way along my jawline and behind my ear._

_But my head seemed to disagree, because the entire time I was picturing Oliver Wood in his place._

I decide to get up. Midnight flying is always a good distraction. I zip a black hoodie over my short pyjamas before carefully pulling my broom out from under my bed, drawing my curtains closed and leaping out the window into the night.

The cold night wind embraces me, freezing though it is. It whips my hair around my face, stinging as the tips of it are flung into my eyes. I do a lap of the castle, trying to avoid any lit windows, before giving up. The wind is making my eyes water, and the constant battle of keeping my hair out of my face is one that I am rapidly losing. Instead, I head to the Quidditch pitch, and setting down my broom begin to run barefoot.

Running on grass, barefooted, somehow always seems faster than running on a track with shoes. Or grass with shoes. I'm thinking it could be the lack of shoes. Digging your toes into the slightly malleable ground, tensing your muscles and pushing off the balls of your feet, over and over again, thudding into ground, lacking the violent quality the motion is lent by such cumbersome things as shoes.

I pick up the pace, and just for fun execute a perfect jete as I finish beneath the goalposts, presenting my arms to the empty stands.

'Brava!' a voice comes from behind me, with four slow claps. I know that voice. And the almost illegally sexy face it belongs to. Oh God, how embarrassing.

'Danny' I turn around. 'What are you doing here?'

'I'd ask you the same question, except I can see that you are split leaping about in the middle of the night and evidently leave me no reason to ask' He smirks back at me, stepping closer. 'I, however, noticed a rather unusual, and unusually pretty I might add, bird fly past my window and came to investigate this nocturnal irregularity'

He has stepped closer while he has been speaking, and has lifted his fingers to the zip of my jacket. He tugs slowly, pulling it down until my jacket hangs open, exposing my pink singlet. He slips his hands inside, onto my waist.

I feel like I shouldn't let him, but the iciness of his fingers makes my stomach flip. Without either of us speaking, he pulls me into him, his mouth on mine, cold and urgent.

We rip off each others clothes, not taking time to savour each other, falling onto the cold earth, lips sliding over lips, fevered kisses dashed upon necks and shoulders. It's a cold, fast pace, and when he's done, he slides off me, sweat quickly cooling in the frigid night. Still without speaking, we dress. He kisses me gently on my forehead and holds out my broom. I take it and fly off in the direction of Gryffindor tower. I wait behind it, shivering on the roof, until I am certain he is gone. I then return to the pitch, this time to the locker room. My clothes hit the ground for the second time that night as I balance the hot and cold water of the shower to the right temperature.

I warm myself up, trying not to think about what I just allowed to happen.

_Why don't you want to think about it?_

The first question I ask myself gets the tears started. I can't stay in here. It's too close to… tonight. I shut the water off, wrap a towel around myself and step out of the cubicle.

It's only as I reach to pick up my pyjamas that I realise I'm not alone.


	18. Invasion of Personal Space

**Hello lovlies. i apologise for the millionth time for not updating sooner. maybe we should accept the fact that my life is crazy and the only time i have in which to write is when my internet is broken, but ironically means i cant post.**

**but yes. you probably will find this weird and annoying. its not meant to be pleasant reading. i am however uploading chapter 19 at the same time so you won't be left all GAH?WTF?**

**so please review and tell me what you think of this latest development.**

**xoxoxox**

**

* * *

**

**TOBIAS PARKINSON'S POV**

This is wrong. Wrong. Wrong wrong.

She is not supposed to be here. It is wrong.

There is a girl in a towel with frayed corners with long wet hair and dripping legs who is making a puddle on the tiles that have mould in the grout and someone should clean that because is it not hygienic and is not supposed to be there.

Like unhygienic mould in the grout on the tiles on the floor is not supposed to be here, just like the girl in the towel with frayed corners and long wet hair and dripping legs who is making a puddle on the tiles that have mould in the grout.

This is not how the night should be going.

What should be happening is that Oliver is meant to be teaching me how to shave because there were a lot of things I missed out on while I was in hospital. I never learned to shave and what is meant to be happening is that Oliver is meant to be teaching me right now.

But is has gone wrong.

I came from the hospital at the wrong time. I was meant to come at one o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday, but the receptionist just wrote 0100, and not 1300 on the message owl, which was wrong of her, so i came at one o'clock in the morning on Saturday, so I am very early. Also, no one at the hospital knows I am here, which is wrong of me, but I do not like the hospital people because they touch me without asking. This is invasion of personal space and it is not nice to invade other people's personal space. Everybody should know this, but the hospitable people do not seem to know what it is.

The second thing that went wrong was that Oliver decided to teach me anyway but he only had one razor in his bedroom, so we came down to the Quidditch locker room because Oliver has extras there. He sent me to get one from his locker

And

Now another thing has gone wrong. A girl has had a shower and now she has seen me and she will send me back to the hospital because it wrong I am here and the hospital people will touch me with their hands and their wands and I do not like this.

The girl is looking at me. I can tell she is very surprised because her mouth is open and I can see that she has fourteen teeth in the top of her mouth. I know because her mouth is open very wide and I can count very fast.

I begin to cry. She is going to make me go back to the hospital and what if she touches me? I curl up in a ball on the unhygienic tiles with mould in the grout and keep crying.

The girl is coming closer and she is reaching her hand out towards me and asking me if I am OK.

Her hand is coming closer. It is very close to my shoulder. It is very fucking close. I am not meant to use bad words but adults use them all the time, especially when they are scared. I am very scared right now so I think the adults will not mind me thinking the word fucking right now.

But her hand is very fucking close and it is about to touch me at any second so I slap her hand really hard, and then I jump up and slap her face and her neck because I would hate it if she touched me without asking.

Oliver is in here now.

And I think he is angry with me. It is probably because i invaded the girl's personal space which was not nice of me.

'Toby!' He is shouting.

Oliver grabs my hands and holds them by my sides. 'You _cannot_ hit people! Never, do you understand?'

He is holding my hands and arms and he did not ask, but Oliver is allowed to touch me. But he is angry and I do not like to make Oliver angry, because he is very nice to me and teaches me things and never gets bored of me so he is allowed to touch me because I know Oliver would never hurt me.

'Sh-sh-she was going to t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-ouch my shoulder' I explain. Oliver should know that I had to do something to stop her. Why did Oliver not understand?

'Oliver?' The girl now has my red handprints on her cheek and neck and now she is crying just like me. The tracks her tears have made have formed an irregular triangle on her left cheek.

'I'm sorry, Katie. I'm so sorry.' OIiver sounds very sad too. We are all sad.

The girl whose name must be Katie runs away.

Oliver is still angry at me. I know because his face is red and he is clenching his hands into fists. I wonder if he will hit me. I cry harder because Oliver is so angry at me but it was not my fault and now he is going to hit me and it is going to hurt.

But Oliver does not hit me. Instead he goes to his office and picks up a box from his desk. Then he opens the box and throws some powder from it into the fire and puts his head in the fire. He is telling the hospital where I am.

I do not want to go back.

But Oliver comes over to me and puts his hand on my shoulder and directs me to the fire. It is green.

'St Mungo's!' Shouts Oliver as he pushes me into the fire.

Everything is spinning and dizzy and I feel sick. And then I fall over.

But someone catches me.

* * *

**so do you hate it? let me know.**

**also much much thanks to Imaginative Reality, .Oo, PTH12, AnotherHPF, ciara512, HorcruxFinder, isnig4life, andy, PurpleAngel87 and congrats Heyyo for becoming of age in the wizarding world.**

**much love and im warily looking forward to reviews! xoxoxo**


	19. Reconnection with an Explaination

**hey kids,**

**this chapter should explain a few things, as well as (as always) creating some new issues. seriously... i really should reconcilliate some things, or this story will just never end! hope you feel a bit more in the loop after reading this, and i would much much much appreciate reviews. (especially on how much Toby you want to see)**

* * *

**OLIVER'S POV**

I want to pull back the carpet of my office, rip up the floor, cover myself up with it and let the ground swallow me.

Instead, I have to find Katie Bell. I don't know what I will say to her. God knows what she must think of me, letting a strange man hit her then leaving her to run the grounds practically naked. I'm not even going to let myself think about how far I've probably set back Toby's recovery with tonight's episode, not to mention that I've almost certainly lost his trust now. Or how incredibly guilty I feel about allowing Katie to get hurt.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I grab some clothes out of her locker and swing past my own to get my broom. It will be faster to find her flying, I can cover more ground. I sweep over the pitch, detouring under the stands before determining that Katie really left the Quidditch grounds.

I try to think of possible places she would have gone. Considering she left only wearing a towel, I'm not sure she would have headed straight back to Gryffindor tower.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I have no idea where she could possibly be. This school is filled with an incredible amount of stuff, a lot of it lying around in corridors, but not I can't think of anywhere in the school that might have anything to wear. Think outside the box, Wood!

It's just not working. I'll just have to fly around the grounds and try and find her, and failing that, try the castle. It's freezing out here, Katie won't be feeling too comfortable so I hope I find her soon.

I just hope she didn't run into the forest. I can't even let myself think about what things in there could be doing to her right now. Jesus Christ, now that I think about, there are a few students not adverse to breaking curfew who could be roaming the castle right now. Forget the forest, Lila Parkinson lives in that castle. If I have to choose, I hope desperately that Katie chose the forest. Actually I hope she chose somewhere else entirely, but I'm running about of options of where she could be.

Thank fuck. Something out there must have responded to how hard I was hoping, because as I round greenhouse three, I see the whiteness of Katie's towel scrunched around her crouching thin frame which has taken on a terrible blue-purple tinge. I jump off my broom and run over to her, pulling her into me and trying to wrap the jacket I brought around her. Sobbing, she pushes tries to push me off.

'Get off me!' She screams hoarsely, her voice catching on a sob. 'What the fuck?! What the fuck, Oliver!'

She pulls her towel tighter around her as a violent shiver wracks her body. I can't let her freeze like this and pull her firmly into my lap, ignoring her protests and weak struggles and slip the jacket around her. As soon as I've done that she just goes limp, collapsing into me, still shivering and sobbing softly.

'Shh' I murmur, putting my face in her hair. I rub my hands up and down her back and arms trying to use the friction to get her warm. I support her weight and stand slowly, hugging her to me.

'Come on, Kates' I say softly. 'Put these on, I won't look'

She keeps her head down.

'Come on, please Kates'

Still nothing, but she shivers intensely and I know I can't let her stay only half dressed, she could already be close to hypothermia.

'Okay' I sigh. I drop to my knees, making sure she can stand while leaning against me. I place my hand gently behind her left knee and apply a little pressure, getting her foot high enough off the ground so I can slip it into the left leg of the sweatpants I brought and then repeat with her right leg. I take care with where I place my hands and to look away as I pull the pants up her legs until they are on properly. I take the towel away from her and gently lift her onto my broom across my lap.

It's not until we are flying that I get any sort of reaction out of Katie. Her arms tighten around my neck and she presses her side into my chest.

'Thank you' She whispers into my ear.

'I'm sorry' I reply.

'Who was he?'

'I'll explain soon' And I mean it. An explanation is the very least she deserves. As soon as we are back at the pitch, I make Katie take a shower to warm her up. The pyjamas she was wearing before are totally unsuitable for the freezing night (I have no idea what she was thinking coming out in them) so she wears the singlet with the tracksuit I lent her. It is big and hangs off her, the jacket coming to her knees. She has had to roll up with sleeves at least three times so she can use her hands. But now we are both sitting on the couch in my office with the fire going, hot mugs of tea in hand.

I have explained to Katie about Toby. How he was a lifelong friend, my brother, my blood without blood, how he was put into hospital, how he miraculously woke up. Also how his brain had been affected by the combination of the coma and the curse.

Katie was curious about why he was, well abnormal.

'He wasn't always like this, was he?' She asks gently.

'No' I shake my head. 'Tobias was the most confident, self-assured young man I've ever met. Also the kindest and most patient. A rare combination, but one that makes the greatest teacher'

'So, what happened?' She put her hand out, then hesitated. 'You don't have to answer. Sorry, how awful of me'

'No, it's okay. I'd rather you know, after all, you did get hurt' Katie put her hand on mine, as I picked up my other to lightly stroke the bruise on her cheek.

'I'm so sorry I let him hit you, I would never have dreamed he would do anything like that' I feel incredibly guilty. I should have been there, protecting her. And Toby. He needed looking after and I got distracted. I feel even more guilty as I remember my distraction. The framed picture on my desk. I steal a glance at it. My team. Katie on my team. But Katie is looking at me now, expecting answers.

'I'm sorry, I do owe you an explaination. The healer at St Mungo's told me that the curse induced trauma to the human body worked differently to than any physical sort of injury. Toby had essentially stopped any mental development, residual sparks of the Avada Kedavra curse had been eating away at him for years, trying to kill him little by little. This much the healers are fairly certain of, as well as the fact that the curse attacked his personality and mental wellbeing in an attempt to destroy him as a person, perhaps as the curse had failed initially it was trying not to kill the body but kill the identity of Tobias Parksinson. It makes some sort of sense, as it did fall into his reflection, which I suppose is the shallowest component of identity. The healers are a bit more speculative after that. Muggle anatomy isn't really too compatible with magical healing, but they think the reason Tobias woke up may have been the curse attacking his memory centre, causing him to relive his memories and giving him a reason to fight and regain consciousness'

'Wow' Katie is shocked. 'Wow. I mean, shit. Sorry. That's completely the wrong thing to say'

I smile. 'It's okay, I said the same thing. But replace 'wow' with 'fuck'. Or 'bloody fucking fuck fuck shit fuck'.'

'You're so brave, Oliver' She moves over on the couch and hugs me. 'Looking after him, teaching him things he forgot or didn't get to learn. It's so unselfish' She pulls back. 'You are the most unselfish person I know Oliver, but it's killing you'

'Yeah I'm a zombie… ooooh.' I brush it off with sarcasm. I don't need anyone feeling sorry for me.

'No, I'm serious' She insists. 'You already pour so much of yourself into the team, and I know your grades have to be maintained for you to stay captain so I know how much effort you put into study and now this looking after Tobias… we've all noticed the change in you. You're tired and unhappy. You can't keep it up.'

'I don't know what else I can do. I can't not help Toby. He's part of my family. He needs me and I'll do whatever it takes to be here for him' My mind is made up. 'I know I'm always exhausted and have no time for my own life, but it's only temporary. I'm working towards the future, Kates. It's only a matter of time until school is over, and Toby will get better eventually. And Quidditch has been my career goal my entire life. There's no way I can give up on it now.'

Katie puts both her hands around mine. 'No one's asking you to give up anything. But you don't have to take responsibility for everything. One person can only do so much'

I sigh, thinking of the way the Parksinsons are coping with the changes in their son. Or rather aren't coping. There is no way he'll recover left to his own with them. And with the Weasleys on the team, without me pulling the nazi routine, no Quidditch training would ever occur. And as keen as the Creevy boy is, I doubt he could do my homework. Not that I'd ever allow him to.

'It's complicated, Kates.'

'That's exactly the problem, Oliver! You're only 18! Life shouldn't be this hard! You are in your final year at school, you are the uncontested hottest guy in Hogwarts as well as Quidditch Captain of the best team! You are Hogwarts royalty, you should be reaping the benefits!'

'Royalty, huh?' I smile slyly. 'Tell me about these benefits'

'You know, partying like a rockstar, all the booze and women you want' The way she says it makes it obvious that anyone with my apparent 'royal' status should take these things for granted.

'I'm not interested in booze.' I squeeze her hand in mine. 'And the only woman I want is taken.'

Katie has to know I mean her. I wonder if I've said too much. I hold my breath as I wait for her response. It doesn't come. Instead we just sit there for a long time, hand in hand. I try to catch her eye, but she is looking down on our hands, obviously deep in thought. I'm not sure how long we sit together for, but looking at our hands makes me catch sight of my watch.

'Katie' I say softly. At the sound of my voice she looks up at my face. 'It's past four. We have practice at six, so if you want any sleep at all…'

She just smiles, gives my hand a squeeze. Leaning towards me, I inhale the vanilla-cinnamon scent of her hair as I feel the gentle pressure of her lips on my cheek. Katie picks up her broom and walks to the door. She looks back at me for a few final words before mounting her broom and speeding off.

'She might not be as taken as you think.'

* * *

***cracks review whip***

**duh.**

**oh by the way, a few peoplw weren't sure if Danny and Katie actually had sex on the quidditch pitch. they did.**

**just to clear that up :P**


End file.
